'I snubbed Man City for Arsenal because I didn't want to sleep at their training ground'

Ismael Bennacer has revealed however helium had his prime retired of the 2 Premier League giants but elected to articulation the Gunners owed to a peculiar regularisation City had astir his surviving arrangements

Former Arsenal youngster Ismael Bennacer antecedently revealed that had the accidental to articulation Manchester City but turned down the Blues - arsenic helium claims they wanted him to slumber astatine their academy.

The Algerian planetary moved to the Gunners successful 2015, nevertheless he made conscionable 1 appearance for the club. He past moved to Italy successful 2017 wherever helium recovered occurrence with Empoli and past later, AC Milan.

The 26-year-old opened up astir his accidental to articulation City but claimed that helium "wasn't feeling it" erstwhile helium arrived astatine their facilities. The midfielder recalled the communicative by telling astir his chat with Arsenal fable Patrick Vieira, who was past the City academy chief.

In an interrogation with Instant Foot, Bennacer explained however some clubs were funny successful signing him and what yet led to his decision. The Milan prima said: "(City) called maine and told maine 'We privation you to beryllium with the reserves' and everything. It's City, man. I was ready. They told maine 'Come spot the facilities' - truthful I did. I got there, I don't know, I wasn't feeling it."

Bennacer says helium was impressed by City's state-of-the-art set-up but helium shared his concerns implicit the club's plans for him. He besides added that City were reluctant to assistance him his privation of having his ain spot to stay.

"Their facilities were crazy. Amazing. I spoke with Vieira and everything," helium said. "I liked the speech we had, but the information they wanted maine astatine the academy to slumber there... I wanted a flat. I wanted my sister to travel with me. That's wherefore I dropped City. Then determination was Arsenal towards the extremity of July."

Bennacer yet cashed successful connected the aboriginal committedness that had led to the Premier League giants chasing him erstwhile helium was granted his determination to Italy. Winning Serie B successful his archetypal play with Empoli, helium aboriginal secured the Serie A rubric with AC Milan successful May 2022 aft signing for the nine for €16million (£13.7million).

The then-21-year-old was portion of the Algerian broadside that won the Africa Cup of Nations successful 2019 too. He was besides named Player of the Tournament astatine the competition.

There has been speech of Bennacer returning to Arsenal since helium has flourished successful Serie A. Speaking to Sport Bible successful December 2023, the holding midfielder revealed that, contempt not breaking done astatine the the Gunners, helium inactive claims it arsenic a constructive clip successful his career.

“At Arsenal, my extremity wasn’t to play successful the reserve squad but the archetypal team," helium said. "I wasn’t fixed that accidental but it was a affirmative acquisition that helped maine successful my career.”

Bennacer besides disclosed that some Milan and Arsenal stock an ethos and that the Gunners are inactive a squad helium precise overmuch admires. And portion helium speaks highly of the Rossoneri, helium did permission the doorway unfastened for a imaginable instrumentality to the Emirates Stadium.

“It’s existent that Arsenal are among the clubs adjacent to my heart," helium said. "Arsenal and Milan person galore similarities successful presumption of the organisation and the information they are household clubs.

“The Premier League is simply a precise large contention and anyone would privation to play there. But Milan is besides a monolithic nine and I consciousness very, precise blessed here. I’m idiosyncratic who ever likes to person targets for the future, but determination are tons of things I inactive privation to execute with Milan. We’ll see.”

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