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Antoine Griezmann rejected Arsenal move in 2013 after he 'kept waiting'

MADRID, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 22:  Antoine Griezmann of Atletico Madrid celebrates after scoring his team's opening goal during the UEFA Champions League group
Image: Antoine Griezmann says he turned down Arsenal move in 2013 after being kept 'waiting'

Antoine Griezmann claimed Arsenal kept him "waiting" over a potential move in 2013 and that he would not consider a move to the Emirates in the future.

The Atletico Madrid forward, who was playing for Real Sociedad at the time, says Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was intent on signing him during the summer window four years ago.

In Griezmann's autobiography, Behind The Smile, he details how agent Eric Olhats was in contact with the Gunners' scout Gilles Grimandi, and was told that a transfer to north London was likely.

Atletico Madrid's French forward Antoine Griezmann reacts during the UEFA Champions League group C football match between Atletico Madrid and AS Roma at th
Image: The 26-year old moved to Atletico Madrid from Real Sociedad in 2014

However, the 26-year old - who has scored six goals in 16 appearances for Atletico Madrid this season - says he ordered his agent to reject Arsenal's late renewed interest.

"I waited, I waited, and I kept waiting… when there was no news, Eric called Grimandi, who said that the manager was still interested in me [and] to keep waiting," Griezmann wrote in his autobiography.

"Finally a few hours before the market closed, he let us know Arsenal would not make a move. I don't like to be told something and for it not to happen.

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"So when Eric told me later that the London club were interested again I told him: 'Forget it, after the blow they gave us'."

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Mesut Ozil, Yaya Sanogo and Mathieu Flamini were among Arsenal's completed signings for the 2013 summer window.

Griezmann joined Atletico Madrid from Real Sociedad in a £24m deal in 2014 and won La Liga's Best Player award for the 2015/16 season.

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