'Arsenal were ready to sign me, but Chelsea came calling': huge revelation by Gunners Legend's Son

Add as a preferred source on Google

Arsenal nearly secured Shaun Wright-Phillips in 2005, but a decisive intervention from Jose Mourinho steered the winger to Chelsea instead. The former England international, son of Arsenal legend Ian Wright, has revealed how Chelsea's urgency trumped Arsenal's interest during a high-stakes transfer saga.

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger actively pursued Wright-Phillips amid his breakout at Manchester City. Despite the player's contentment at the Etihad, his agent alerted him to Arsenal's advances, leveraging the family ties through his father. Wenger expressed a desire to sign him but proposed waiting until January for further evaluation.

Chelsea, driven by Mourinho and then-owner Roman Abramovich, refused to delay and pushed for an immediate £21 million deal. Wright-Phillips recalls, "On one side, I had my dad with the whole Arsenal connection. They had discussions with Wenger, who expressed, 'We want him, but we'd like to observe him a bit longer until January.' However, Mourinho and Abramovich insisted on acquiring him immediately."​

Manchester City compelled Wright-Phillips to depart, sidelining him for a key match under Stuart Pearce. He recounted, "City had a match, and I remember Paul Dickov telling me I wasn't playing that day. Stuart Pearce was the manager at the time, and he informed me, 'I've been told not to play you.' I got off the bus, entered the locker room, and within ten minutes, a car arrived to take me straight to London. I went directly for my medical at Chelsea, and that was the end of it."

Wright-Phillips secured Premier League and FA Cup triumphs at Chelsea, cherishing the era despite the abrupt change. He reflected, "People often ask me about my decision, but I have no regrets. The teammates I had... I was fortunate. It was an incredible experience, and we shared so much fun both on and off the pitch."