Nacho Monreal moved out of Arsenal to join La Liga side Real Sociedad thereby ending his six-year-old relationship with the Gunners.
The 33-year-old had featured in the first 3 Premier League games this season which had hinted to the fact that Emery might want to hold onto him for one more campaign. But in the end, it was not to be as the defender chose to move back to Spain in hopes that he would get to play regular first-team football.
And after his exit from the Emirates, he penned an emotional farewell wishing Arsenal good luck for the North London Derby.
Nacho Monreal wrote on Twitter: “31st January 2013. Malaga. I wake up, check my phone and have 2 calls from Santi Cazorla. I call him and he asks me if I want to play for Arsenal. 10 hours later I was an Arsenal player. Sometimes Football is simple.
“Different country, city, language, football style, teammates, where it’s not the best conditions for a shy person as me, but I knew I have to be there!!
“Almost 7 years later it’s time to say goodbye, it hasn’t been an easy decision, but thinking of my family and my future it feels that it is the right decision.
“I would like to say thank you to all my teammates, staff, and all the people who work for Arsenal and especially to the fans for all the respect and love they have always shown me.
“I’ll always remember you. THANKS.”
But after moving to Spain, Nacho Monreal revealed in his first press conference that Unai Emery had actually asked him to play in the North London Derby but he chose to decline that offer.
When asked about the prospect of playing vs Spurs, he said, “the most sensible thing was not to do it to avoid any unexpected situation”
And while some Arsenal fans have shown their frustration towards Nacho Monreal claiming that he wasn’t committed to the club but we fully understand why the defender chose not to take any risk.
If while playing in the North London Derby, the 33-year-old would have injured himself, then surely his move to Real Sociedad would have collapsed – just like Leroy Sane’s move to Bayern Munich failed after the German international picked up an injury while playing for Manchester City.
