Arsenal Boss Mikel Arteta Rejected Chance to Pursue PSG Ace Who Starred in Champions League Win | OneFootball

Désiré Doué has been turning heads in recent months with standout performances against Liverpool and Aston Villa, capped off by a stunning brace in the UEFA Champions League final against Inter Milan.

The young Frenchman played a pivotal role in PSG’s shootout win over Liverpool, calmly converting the decisive penalty to send the English side packing. He followed that up in the next round by scoring a brilliant equalizer against Aston Villa in the first leg, helping PSG take control of the tie with a 3-1 victory.

With such poise in high-stakes moments, it’s no surprise top European clubs are starting to take notice. And on the biggest stage of all, Doué delivered again—scoring twice in the Champions League final to help PSG lift the trophy.

Yet, there was one club that had a chance to make a serious move for Doué last summer but ultimately passed.

Arsenal missed out on PSG standout last summer

Dan Mullan/Getty Images

According to Fichajes, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta passed on the chance to sign the PSG ace that the club had been tracking for £30 million last year. His reasoning was simple during a meeting with the club’s directors: “We already have Martinelli,” he said.

Doué also had other suitors last summer with Bayern Munich being one team keen on him. Nonetheless, the Frenchman decided to stay in France and leave Stade Rennais for PSG and after this weekend’s performance against Inter Milan the decision proved to be the right one.