Andre Santos has given a lengthy interview to Turkish newspaper Haberturk and spoken about his time with Arsenal
The Brazilian left-back was a popular figure with the Fenerbahce supporters, following his successful spell with the Yellow Canaries between 2009 and 2011.
Santos left Fenerbahce to join Arsenal for €7m after the Turkish club were falsely accused of match-fixing in 2011.
Speaking about his time at the Emirates, Santos said a phone call from Arsene Wenger convinced him to move to the Gunners: “I’ve always had a dream of playing in the Champions League. That opportunity came to my feet when I was at Fenerbahce, but after what happened, our place in the competition was in danger.
“In the meantime, Arsene Wenger called me and said he has been following me since my days at Corinthians and the national team.
“After that, I’ve made my mind up and I decided to join Arsenal with a heavy heart. I thought this would be a perfect experience for me, playing in the biggest league in football and one of the best teams in England isn’t always possible for a footballer. So I decided to take the chance.”
The Brazilian left-back had a solid debut season with Arsenal, making 21 appearances in all competitions and scoring three goals.
However, after making just 12 appearances in the following campaign, Arsenal decided to move Santos on and the player joined Gremio in 2013.
Santos said injuries have hampered his progress at the Gunners and the arrival of Nacho Monreal meant the end of his career in London: “My first season went very well, I played in a lot of matches. But in my second season, I had very bad luck with injuries. I haven’t had many injuries in my other teams.
“I had three injuries which kept me out of the action for quite a long time. After that, the club decided to sign Nacho Monreal. I wanted a return to Fenerbahce but Arsene Wenger refused to let me re-join them.”
Santos retired in 2018 after a brief spell in his home country with Figueirense FC.
