“A man of his word” – Defender explains how he was convinced to sign for Arsenal

Former Arsenal defender Gael Clichy has revealed how Arsene Wenger personally ensured he joined the club in 2003.

The Frenchman joined the Gunners as a youngster from Cannes in 2003 in a £338,000 deal and would eventually go on to replace Ashley Cole at the club.

He would go on to make 264 appearances for the club in total, winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Community Shield before departing for Manchester City in 2011.

His time at Highbury and then the Emirates obviously saw him working under former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, with the Frenchman making all 264 appearances for the club under his leadership.

Indeed, he’s made more appearances for the legendary Arsenal boss than any manager during his career, with Manuel Pellegrini the second-highest on 89.

The pair, then, share a unique bond, and Clichy has revealed it was Wenger’s personal efforts that ensured he ended up at Arsenal in the first place.

“I was 16 years old and in Cannes. He came with the head of human resources,” he told Blick.

“The Côte d’Azur is still a friendly destination, and he certainly took advantage of that. For him and Arsenal, the focus was always on people.

“I still remember our conversation very well. Arsène predicted a great future for me and promised me that he would loan Van Bronckhorst out if I signed.

“And sure enough, he moved to Barcelona. Wenger is a man of his word.”