Arsene Wenger has been left looking foolish after claiming Arsenal could have "easily" signed N'Golo Kante.
The legendary boss made his fair share of brilliant acquisitions during his time in north London, especially at the start of his tenure, including the likes of Patrick Viera and Thierry Henry.
But the Gunners could have done with a player of Kante's calibre as Wenger entered the tail end of his Arsenal career.
And it turns out the Chelsea midfielder was put on a plate for the French boss as Kante's boyhood club JS Suresnes struggled to find him a new team in 2010.
Cristiano Ronaldo or N'Golo Kante - Who does Arsene Wenger regret not signing the most? Comment below
Wenger was made aware of Kante's situation as one of his best friends was a director at JS Suresnes, but a move did not materialise.
In a SPORTbible Q&A with Ian Wright, asked which player Wenger regrets not signing the most, he said "At the end of my career, N'Golo Kante."
Wright replied: "You could have got Kante as well?"
Wenger responded: "Easy, because he played for a club in Paris that's called Suresnes where one of my best friends is director and he told me 'Please, I have a player we know that is unbelievable. Nobody wants him in France'.
"He took him in his car and travelled with him from club to club. And finally, a club from division three in France (Boulogne) took N'Golo Kante.
"It's an unbelievable story. You could make a film about him as well."
Wright added: "Wow, amazing. N'Golo Kante at Arsenal would have been amazing."
Wenger replied: "He is somebody you don't find often. He wins the ball without making a foul and straight away, he moves that ball forward.
Wright concluded: "He's very underrated in the way he progresses the ball as well."
Wenger added: "Very."
Arsenal's failed pursuit of Cristiano Ronaldo when he played for Sporting Lisbon is another well-documented near-miss transfer for Wenger as he opted to join Manchester United instead.
And Wenger says the Portugal star also comes under the category of a signing that didn't happen that he still regrets to this day.
He added: "Certainly Cristiano Ronaldo.
"I thought it was possible and if we had been a fraction quicker by a few days. We had agreed a deal and Manchester United came in five, six days later.
"So I would say at the start of my career Cristiano Ronaldo."
