Jorginho reveals Mikel Arteta attempted to sign him for Arsenal twice

Arsenal's Jorginho admits Mikel Arteta tried to sign him twice during his time as Chelsea boss

Arsenal midfielder Jorginho has revealed that Mikel Arteta tried to sign him for the club on two separate occasions during his time as Chelsea boss.

The Italian midfielder was first linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium in the summer of 2020, but the deal ultimately fell through.

Jorginho was then linked with a move to Arsenal again in the January transfer window of 2023, but once again, the deal failed to materialize.

In an interview with The Athletic, Jorginho admitted that Arteta was keen on signing him on both occasions.

"I spoke to him [Arteta] a few times," Jorginho said. "He's a great guy and a great coach. I really enjoy talking to him.

"He told me that he wanted me to come to Arsenal. He said that he thought I would be a good fit for his team.

"I was flattered by his interest. Arsenal is a great club with a great history. I would have been honored to play for them.

"But in the end, it wasn't the right time for me to leave Chelsea. I still had two years left on my contract and I was happy to stay.

"I'm now fully focused on Arsenal and I'm determined to help the team achieve its goals this season."