Goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano has hailed his time at Arsenal as a great experience, even though he didn’t play.
The Italian spent a year with the Gunners, signing on a season long loan deal from Palermo to provide cover for first-choice goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.
That proved to very much be his role, as he didn’t manage a single appearance for the senior side throughout his loan deal and instead managed just one appearance for the U21s.
He returned to Palermo in 2014 and has had a varied career since, turning out for the likes of Sampdoria, Sporting CP, SPAL and now Karagümrük in Turkey.
It seems he holds no resentment towards the Gunners, though, and instead looks back on his time with the club with fondness.
“With Arsenal it was a great experience, even though I didn’t play,” he told Tv Play Calciomercato.it, relayed by I Love Palermo Calcio.
“It happened by chance. I was back from fourth place with Fiorentina and had returned to Palermo, who were relegated. Zamparini wanted to keep me, but I wanted to go.
“My representative was following an operation for Arsenal. Wenger asked if he had a goalkeeper, and he explained my situation and I accepted.”
