Arsenal rejected the chance to sign Denis Suarez on loan a year before pushing through a loan move that has proven to be one of the most disappointing transfers at the club in recent memory.
football.london understands that Arsenal were among a number of Premier League clubs, including Brighton and Hove Albion and Southampton, who were given the chance to sign Suarez on a temporary basis midway through the 2017/18 season.
With Arsene Wenger still an influential figure in transfers - albeit not the only voice in the room as he had once been - the Gunners ultimately opted not to bring Suarez, doubting what sort of impact he could make in the Premier League, particularly on a short term basis.
That decision was ultimately vindicated just over a year later as Suarez's loan move proved to be a waste of both his wages and a £2million loan fee, though Arsenal's decision to fight against the £18m commitment to buy that Barcelona demanded proved to be a shrewd one.
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They will not activate the purchase option they agreed and Suarez has returned to Barcelona for treatment on the groin injury that curtailed his time at Arsenal.
"Some issues with my groin have made things tough since the game against BATE Borisov in the Europa League... now they have forced me to stop training altogether," said Suarez last month.
"After various medical consultations, the conclusion has been reached that I cannot keep on pushing it and I have started a period of treatment that cannot be done alongside competitive football."
Suarez's groin injury had been niggling him for much of April but by that time the Spaniard was already falling down head coach Unai Emery's pecking order.
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It had been Emery and head of football Raul Sanllehi who had championed a move for Suarez. The Arsenal boss had worked with the 25-year-old at Sevilla and believed the new signing could provide an option in wide areas as well as central midfield.
Ultimately Suarez would make just six appearances for Arsenal, all as a substitute.
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