Former Arsenal goalkeeper Vito Mannone has revealed that Arsene Wenger once apologised to him for not giving him enough opportunities to shine at the Emirates Stadium.
Mannone spent eight years on Arsenal’s books before eventually leaving the club on a permanent deal to join Sunderland in 2013.
He never managed to establish himself in the first-team squad and made just over 20 appearances in senior football for the Gunners over his long spell at the club.
The Italian feels he was dealt a bad hand at Arsenal and believes Wenger never gave him a proper run in the team that could have helped him to establish himself.
He believes he failed to earn the former Arsenal’s manager trust during his time at the Emirates.
But Mannone claimed that when he returned to play against Arsenal in Sunderland colours, the Frenchman tendered an apology for not playing him more.
The Italian told Italian outlet Calciomercato.com: “I wanted more chances to play as the number one, but the relationship with Wenger was not the best.
“He never bet on me.
“I was in competition with [Wojciech] Szczesny and [Lukasz] Fabianski, but we didn't have the same amount of opportunities.
“When I returned to the Emirates with Sunderland, Wenger apologised for not believing in me.”
Mannone is currently on loan at MLS outfit Minnesota United from Reading.
