‘Recognise that’: Joleon Lescott shares why he decided to join Everton over Arsenal back in 2006

Add as preferred source on Google

Joleon Lescott has revealed that he turned down Arsenal in favour of joining Everton in 2006.

Speaking on The Peter Crouch Podcast, the former defender claimed that did have the opportunity to make the move to North London following his exit from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Lescott spent six years with Wolves and was named in the Championship Team of the Year before earning a £5 million move to Everton when he was 24 years old.

The centre-back was sensational for the Toffees and was named as Players’ Player of the Season two years running, as well as Everton’s Player of the Season in his second campaign.

Lescott scored 17 goals in 143 appearances for Everton before his quality form was rewarded with a big money switch to Man City, where he won two Premier League titles, the FA Cup and the League Cup.

However, his career could have arguably looked very different if he had made the bold decision to join Arsenal prior to his arrival at Goodison Park.

Speaking to Crouch, Lescott said: “Not specifically Everton but that kind of tier team was like, yeah I recognise that I wasn’t going to go.

“Because I could have potentially gone to Arsenal but I like was I going to Arsenal to play?

“I’d be learning stuff but I wanted to play and luckily enough for me, I broke into Wolves and never not played.

“So, there was more opportunity for me at that tier kind of team and then Everton came and I was aware of that earlier in the season and then I kind of had an agreement and arrangement with Wolves that we were going to try and get promoted.

“If it wasn’t to be then they were going to let me go and that was the case.”

What could have happened if Lescott joined Arsenal?

Joleon Lescott was an immediate hit on Merseyside as he made 38 appearances in his first season, lining up alongside the likes of Phil Neville and Tony Hibbert in defence.

However, the 41-year-old made a wise move in not taking the tempting offer of joining Arsenal – who had won seven trophies in the previous five years.

Lescott would have been facing competition from huge playes such as Kolo Toure and William Gallas for a place in the starting line-up and perhaps would have found it more difficult to reach the heights that he did at Goodison.

It was his exceptional performances with Everton that led to him winning the Premier League with Man City, but it is impossible to know the path he would have gone down if he had joined the Gunners instead.