Wenger reveals Aquilani interest
442 Staff - Wednesday 28 October 2009, 16:54
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed he was once interested in signing former Roma midfielder Alberto Aquilani.
The Italian international left the Eternal City for Liverpool this summer for €20 million following Xabi Alonso's sale to Real Madrid.
However, the playmaker has yet to appear for the first-team having undergone ankle surgery shortly before joining the Merseysiders.
The 25-year-old is finally set to make his Reds debut against Arsenal in the Carling Cup on Wednesday night.
And Gunners' boss Wenger has admitted that he had considered signing the midfielder, but was eventually put off by his lack of regular action due to injury.
"Yes I know [Aquilani] well," he told the club's official website.
"He played against us in the Champions League last year and came off the bench in Rome. He is a talented player but has been troubled a lot by injuries.
"We followed him for one or two years but he did not play a lot last year so he got a little bit out of sight for us and we lost our interest in him."