Arsene Wenger’s concerns over David Villa’s age and his ability to cope with the intensity of the Premier League stopped Arsenal from signing the Spaniard, according to The Athletic.
Former Spain international Villa recently conceded that he was close to joining Arsenal in 2013, but the Gunners' interest dates back to 2010 when he left Valencia for Barcelona.
The Gunners were prepared to rival Barcelona for the Spaniard’s signature, but one man remained unconvinced about taking Villa to the Emirates.
The striker was 28 then and Wenger believed that he was towards the end of his prime and was on the decline.
He had doubts about whether Villa would be able to maintain his blistering pace in the Premier League and deal with the intensity of the English top flight.
The Frenchman decided against making a move for him and the striker completed a move to the Catalan giants.
Villa went on to win two La Liga titles and the Champions League during his time at Barcelona.
It remains to be seen if Villa could have coped in the Premier League if Arsenal had pulled the trigger on a deal.
