Former Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere is of the view the Gunners could have won the Premier League if they had kept hold of their star players, stressing star striker Robin van Persie left when they were about to challenge for the title.
The Gunners under Arsene Wenger witnessed a number of star players depart after they made the move to the Emirates Stadium.
The club endured a trophy-less run after moving to their new stadium, which ended in 2014 when they won the FA Cup after beating Hull City 3-2 in the final in extra-time.
However, Wilshere believes the Gunners could have ended their trophy drought sooner had they kept hold of their star players and revealed he was devastated to learn that then club captain Van Persie left the club to join rivals Manchester United.
Wilshere admitted it was difficult to see their star players leave every season and is of the view Arsenal could have gone on to lift the Premier League trophy if the players had stuck together at the Emirates.
"I was devastated”, Wilshere told the BBC.
"He [Van Persie] had just scored 30 goals the season before. He was our captain.
"It felt like we were just about to challenge [for the title] again and all of a sudden he left to go to our biggest rivals.
"It was difficult to take.
"I was there when [Cesc] Fabregas left, [Samir] Nasri left, big players. If we had kept that team together, I think we would have gone on to win the Premier League – and who knows from there?"
Wilshere rose through the ranks at Arsenal and spent ten years in the senior squad before eventually leaving the club to sign for West Ham United in 2018, following Wenger’s departure from the club.
