Robert Pires won two titles and three FA Cups during his six seasons at Arsenal.
The former winger was part of the Gunners’ Invincibles squad during the 2003/04 season. He was instrumental in the league that campaign, scoring 14 goals and registering 11 assists in 36 matches.
Pires is still adored by a large section of the Premier League club’s supporters, more than 14 years after he left the north London club.
The Frenchman arrived at Arsenal from Marseille in 2000 and prior to joining them, Real Madrid were one of the clubs who wanted to sign Pires.
According to AS, the 47-year-old was so close to the La Liga side that he was seen posing with the Real Madrid shirt.
During an interview with the Spanish newspaper, Pires opened up on how Arsène Wenger convinced him to snub Real Madrid for Arsenal.
“For me it was a very difficult moment, although I felt privileged, because I had to choose between Madrid, Juventus and Arsenal,” Pires told AS.
“I was about to sign with Madrid, but Wenger called me many times, he ate my head and in the end he convinced me.”
Pires’ decision to reject Real Madrid for Arsenal was not well received within his family. 
“Yes [my family was angry],” explained the former Arsenal star.
“Above all, my mother, who is Spanish (from Oviedo). When I called her to tell her that I was going to London, to Arsenal, she replied: ‘You’re crazy, you don’t know English, with the quality you have, you must go to Spain …!’ People told me that you can’t say no to Madrid, but I did it.”
