Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur’s rivalry is as fierce as any in the Premier League.
The North London Derby is among the biggest occasions of the season, and the games between the two sides are almost always eventful.
What makes the rivalry even more interesting is that Arsenal and Tottenham, at times, target the same players in the transfer market, thus leading to a battle off the pitch as well.
Spurs, however, won the race for one player’s signature without having to fight Arsenal because Arsene Wenger snubbed the chance to sign him many years ago.
That player went on to become a Tottenham legend – much to Wenger and Arsenal’s regret.
Why Arsene Wenger and Arsenal did not sign Gareth Bale before Tottenham
Gareth Bale came through the ranks at Southampton alongside Arsenal old-boy Theo Walcott.
Both of them were viewed as hugely talented players when they were in their teens, and they caught Arsenal’s eye before 2006.
Wenger decided that he wanted to sign Walcott and he was presented with an opportunity to get Bale as well in January 2006.
However, the legendary Arsenal manager snubbed that chance because he only saw Bale as a left-back and he already had two players in that position.
Tottenham signed Bale 18 months later, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The Welshman went on to become one of the best players to ever play for Spurs and even earned himself a record-breaking move to Real Madrid.
In June 2013, Wenger was asked about the time he could’ve signed Bale, and the Frenchman admitted that he made a ‘huge mistake’ by rejecting that opportunity.
He said, as per The Times: “We didn’t take him because we had Ashley Cole and (Gael) Clichy. We didn’t want another left back.
“I must honestly confess it was a huge mistake.
“He struggled at the start at Tottenham. They were ready to sell him on the noises I got. Then they moved him to midfield and he did exceptionally well. The career of a player sometimes depends on playing him in the right position.”
Gareth Bale vs Theo Walcott stats compared
Arsenal snubbed Bale and signed Walcott in January 2006.
The Englishman went on to become a regular for Arsenal and even scored over 100 goals as a Gunner. He was a key player for several years, but he never really became a superstar that many thought he would.
Bale, on the other hand, achieved great things.
| Games | Goals | Assists | Trophies won | |
| Theo Walcott | 564 | 129 | 81 | 5 |
| Gareth Bale | 554 | 185 | 132 | 19 |
Signing Walcott was not a bad move from Arsenal, but Wenger was right, turning down the chance to land Bale was a ‘huge mistake’.
But, Tottenham deserve credit for turning the Welshman into an attacker – that changed his career and made him an absolute superstar.
In the summer, Tottenham could sign the next Bale – Tyler Dibling. TBR can reveal that the Southampton youngster is keen to join Spurs.
