Raphael Varane:
The French international was another star who nearly missed joining the Gunners. After joining Real Madrid from Lens, he has become one of the best defenders in the world. But Arsenal could have had the 23-year-old at Emirates had Wenger acted faster when the player was playing in Ligue One.
“I’m happy for him because he’s carving out a role at one of the world’s best clubs, which is remarkable. Yet at the same time, when you are in charge of a club like Arsenal, you have to wonder why this player is not playing for us. He was at Lens, and we might well have caught him there.” – Wenger said in 2013.