Sebastien Squillaci 'could not turn down Arsenal'
Sebastien Squillaci has revealed that he found it “practically impossible” to rebuff the advances of Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger as he prepares to complete his move to the English Premier League giants.
The 30-year-old had refused to play for Sevilla in their 1-0 UEFA Champions League play-off first leg defeat to Braga last week to avoid being cup-tied in the competition and ensure there were no barriers created in his five million pounds-move to the North London club.
The France international told reporters that it the presence of his countryman Wenger meant he could not turn down the chance to join Arsenal. He said that: "If a French player receives an offer from Arsene Wenger, it's practically impossible to turn down. It was a sensational offer for me and I was happy Sevilla let me go. It was a difficult situation but I knew I had to take this chance. I knew if I played against Braga then I would not have been able to play for Arsenal in the Champions League."
Delighted to follow in countrymen's footsteps
Squillaci will be competing with Thomas Vermaelen, Laurent Koscielny and Johan Djourou for a spot in the middle of defence and is delighted to be following in the footsteps of many of his French contemporaries. He said that: “Arsenal were always the team I watched out for. For any spectator like me, you had to watch a squad with (Thierry) Henry, (Robert) Pires, (Patrick) Vieira and (William) Gallas. Now, I'm happy to have my name in the history books. For me, this is a great new challenge and I've gone there purely to be part of that. I don't think my age is a problem. My experience in football is great and players of my age tend to be at the peak of their playing career."
The player today began his medical assessment at the Emirates Stadium and all parties will be keen to ensure the transfer is completed before the transfer window closes in a week’s time.
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