Liverpool may have used Trent Alexander-Arnold's 'it means more' comments as fuel against Manchester City this weekend - but the Blues squad insist the pre-match row played little part in their preparations at Anfield.
I snubbed Man City for Arsenal after being told I'd need to sleep at their academy
21.02.2024 - 10:33 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Ismael Bennacer, a former Arsenal youngster, had the opportunity to join Manchester City but decided against it due to an unusual reason - he didn't feel comfortable with the club.
In an interview with Instant Foot, Bennacer explained how both Arsenal and City were interested in signing him in 2015. The Algerian star said: "(City) called me and told me 'We want you to be with the reserves' and everything. It's City, man. I was ready. They told me 'Come see the facilities' - so I did. I got there, I don't know, I wasn't feeling it."
Instead, Bennacer chose to join Arsenal. However, things didn't go as planned in England. He only played once before being loaned to Tours in France in January 2017.
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Bennacer later signed a permanent contract with Italian team Empoli. Since then, his career has been on the rise, winning the Serie B title in his first season in Italy and later securing the Serie A title with AC Milan in May 2022.
Bennacer recalls being impressed by City's top-notch facilities during his first visit and having a chat with Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira, who was then the academy chief. The midfielder said: "Their facilities were crazy. Amazing. I spoke with Vieira and everything."
Despite having had a positive meeting with the club, Bennacer chose not to sign in the end. He said: "I liked the talk we had, but the fact they wanted me at the academy, to sleep there... I wanted a flat. I wanted my sister to come with me. That's why I dropped City. Then there was Arsenal towards the end of July."
Gossip floated around last year that Bennacer could return to
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