Arsenal legend Robert Pires reveals Arsene Wenger once sent him a PRIVATE JET to stop him signing for Real Madrid
JET-HEELED Robert Pires has revealed Arsene Wenger sent a private plane to snatch him for Arsenal ahead of Real Madrid and Juventus.
Wenger swooped for the legendary French winger 22 years ago, turning him into a star member of the Gunners' 2003-04 Invincibles.
But Pires admits he was a Real fan as a kid and even posed in a Madrid top shortly before Arsenal leapt in to sign him from Marseille.
The 1998 World Cup winner, 48, told : “In 2000, I was lucky to have Real, Juve, Arsenal... A very hard choice.
"Everyone told me that I was crazy not to have gone to Real.
"It was very heated though. I even took the photo with the Real jersey during the Euros in Belgium! For the newspaper AS, I believe.
"And everything happened very quickly.
“Arsene (Wenger) called me and upset my plans... he sends me a plane, I pass the medical visit and I sign."
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The two-time Premier League winner claims he was lured by the Gunners having fellow French superstars Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira, plus a home-country boss in Wenger,
Pires said: "Arsenal with him, Titi [Henry], Pat [Vieira], it’s reassuring.
"It’s a stable club, especially after my difficult season at OM and knowing that in Madrid, things could explode at any time.
"However, when I was younger, I was a fan of Real and Michel.”
Pires also helped the Gunners win the FA Cup twice before departing for Villarreal in 2006.
After playing for Aston Villa in 2010-11, he retired before finishing for good with a brief spell at Indian club FC Goa in 2014-15.
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