Arsene Wenger originally wanted to partner Thierry Henry with his international teammate Nicolas Anelka at Arsenal, according to Gunners great Ian Wright.
The plan would have meant that Henry and Dennis Bergkamp would not have linked up to form one of the all-time great Premier League forward duos.
Anelka emerged as one of Europe's brightest prospects after Wenger signed him from Paris Saint-Germain for just £500,000 as a 17-year-old.
The Frenchman spearheaded Arsenal to the league title in 1997/98 but joined Real Madrid in 1999 in a £20million move - leaving Wenger furious to have lost the talent he was nurturing.
And Wright claims the Gunners boss was also angry that Anelka's move to Spain ruined his plans to partner him with Henry, who arrived from Juventus for £10.7million that summer.
Comparing himself to Anelka, Wright told Premier League Productions: "He was a lot more technical and skilful. He liked to get the ball and take people on a lot more.
"I just wanted to make my runs through lines and to stay as central as I could. He was a pleasure to play with because he was so skilful, he was so quick, he had everything.
"He could drop in field. Arsene was trying to get him and Thierry together but obviously Nicolas left.
"He would have been able to drop into those areas and do unbelievable things with how quick his feet were."
Anelka won the Champions League with Real Madrid but scored just twice in La Liga and rejoined PSG in 2002.
He went on to have other stints in England with Liverpool, Manchester City, Bolton Wanderer, Chelsea and West Bromwich Albion before retiring in 2015.
Meanwhile, Henry combined with Bergkamp to win the Premier League and FA Cup twice apiece before moving to Barcelona in 2007.
