Back in the old days, before it was frowned upon quite so vehemently, the transfer rumours on the internet were quite frankly made up for clicks. Every transfer window would throw up the same links to the same clubs, so similar to how to works now but there seemed to be less of a responsibility to make sure it had a modicum of truth to it and newspapers and websites would get away with it week in week out.

One of those rumours that would never go away was – David Villa to Arsenal. A window couldn’t go by without him ‘being seen at Heathrow Airport’ and now, amazingly it appears this could have actually been true as the player has sensationally revealed that he did indeed, come very close to signing for Arsenal.

So perhaps these rumours weren’t made up after all? If not, apologies to Goal.com.

It was back in the famous transfer window of January 2013 when he looked likely to join Arsenal, but he ended up leaving Barcelona to join Atletico Madrid in the following summer.

Villa told BBC Sport that:

“We were in a lot of meetings and a lot of calls, I felt 90% in that moment that I go to Arsenal and Arsene Wenger, but in that moment we didn’t arrive to the deal, Atletico Madrid arrived and in three or four days fixed everything…”

He also claims that he had plenty of chances to head to the Premier League, but it just didn’t quite work out, a real shame:

“Many times I had the opportunity to go there, but I chose another way…”

Worth remembering that we signed Mesut Ozil at the end of that window, and also Arsene Wenger had said that Villa wasn’t open to a move. So perhaps he already knew Ozil was a target and the budget wouldn’t allow for Villa to come (via Heathrow Airport) as he nalready had one eye on Ozil.

It’s also worth remembering the way we stitched up Spurs when we signed him. Click here for the full details of that particular story, though John Cross wrote it, so no one can really tell whether it’s true or not.

Back on the pitch, we face Olympiacos at The Emirates tonight for a place in the Europa League Quarter Finals, we hold a lead of 1-0 after Alex Lacazette’s crucial late, away goal last week put our noses in front. Apparently, 5,000 Olympiacos fans are expected at The Emirates tonight, so it should make for an excellent atmosphere and a cracking game as the Greek side try to claw back the tie.

COYG!