One of the biggest villains in Arsenal’s history was once backed to become Thierry Henry’s successor.
Hearts were broken in 2007 when the decision was made to sell Henry to Barcelona.
After eight years, Arsene Wenger sanctioned the Frenchman’s transfer to Catalonia, selling him in a deal worth £16m, around a fifth of Mykhailo Mudryk’s price tag.
Though fans were heartbroken, some members of the Arsenal squad understood why Henry left, as the striker had one goal to fulfil – win the Champions League.
Frank McLintock wanted Samuel Eto’o to replace Thierry Henry
There was truly no replacing Henry, who bid farewell to N5 as Arsenal’s record goalscorer, a title he will hold for years to come.
That being said, Wenger’s squad was left in capable hands, with Emmanuel Adebayor, Robin van Persie, Eduardo and Nicklas Bendtner being Arsenal’s strike options in 2007/08.
Eduardo was added to the squad that summer to fill a fragment of the void left by Henry, but it was a different player who was wanted by one Arsenal icon.
Speaking to The Guardian in 2007, 1970/71 double-winning captain Frank McLintock expressed his desire for the Gunners to sign Samuel Eto’o.
“The sale gives Wenger more money to rebuild the squad. Arsenal must move to replace Henry quickly – someone like Samuel Eto’o would be ideal,” McLintock said.
The Scotsman suspected that Wenger would be asking ‘too much’ of Bendtner and young Theo Walcott to fill Henry’s boots, calling for a top-calibre signing like Eto’o.
The Cameroonian sensation remained at Barcelona that summer, leaving two years later to sign for Inter Milan, where he won his fourth Champions League medal.
Eto’o broke Arsene Wenger and Arsenal’s hearts
Eto’o didn’t win four Champions Leagues by chance, as the forward was one of the best of his generation, as Arsenal knew too well.
The centre-forward won the tournament twice with Barcelona, with his 2006 victory being one that broke hearts in North London.
McLintock wanted Arsenal to sign Eto’o, but the reality is that the transfer would’ve been a painful reminder of what the Cameroon international had done to the Gunners the year prior to Henry’s exit.
Eto’o was the protagonist of the 2006 Champions League final that saw Arsenal lose 2-1 to Barcelona in dramatic circumstances.
It was the striker who was fouled to get Jens Lehmann sent off, the striker who scored the equaliser, and the striker who won the man of the match award.
For Arsenal fans, it’s hard to think about Eto’o in the red and blue of Barcelona to this day, with the memories taking many back to that gut-wrenching night in Paris.