Giorgio Chiellini could have been winding down his playing career at Arsenal right now if things had turned out differently.
The 36-year-old has established himself as one of the finest central defenders of his generation, winning multiple Serie A titles with Juventus after breaking into the first-team picture in the 2005/06 season.
However, prior to joining Juve, Chiellini was on the books at Livorno where he first caught the eye of Arsenal and then-manager Arsene Wenger.
And as a teenager, the defender was in talks about a transfer to the north London outfit, but he rejected the offer due to not wanting to 'betray' his childhood club.
Although, Chiellini has also admitted he was foolish to turn down such an opportunity.
"In hindsight, I was a fool to decline that offer," he said in an interview with French magazine So Foot. "I was 16, I played in Serie C, I got a huge offer.
"I didn't feel ready.
"If I had accepted, it would have given the impression of betraying Livorno."
Had Chiellini accepted Arsenal's offer in the early 2000's, he may have been a teammate of Robin van Persie a few years later who made the move to Highbury in the summer of 2004.
That would have pleased the Dutchman who recently revealed that he called on Wenger to sign the defender due to being convinced the Gunners lacked the winning mentality to win a Premier League title.
"At a given moment I felt called upon to say what Arsenal could do better in order to win the league," van Persie said. "I felt we lacked a winning mentality, and asked Arsene Wenger to sign Giorgio Chiellini.
"I have played against him a few times, and he is a genuine winner.
"He is 36 years old, but he'll dish out nine elbows every game with a smile on his face. He'll keep smiling and never get a yellow card. You need those types of winners and killers in your side.
"I felt we should get him."
