Arsene Wenger surprisingly signed Igors Stepanovs in 2000 as cover for Tony Adams (Image: Getty)
Former Arsenal star Jermaine Pennant has lifted the lid on a prank that led to the signing of Igors Stepanovs, who he labels as the club’s worst ever acquisition. Pennant made a mere 26 appearances for the Gunners during his six-year stint which included loan moves to Watford, Leeds United, and Birmingham City.
The ex-footballer revealed the intriguing backstory which playing a joke on then-Gunners boss Arsene Wenger in training back in 2000. Discussing the tale in an exclusive interview with Mirror Football, via mybettingsites.co.uk, the ex-Liverpool player claimed that Dennis Bergkamp and Ray Parlour orchestrated a wind-up on Martin Keown which resulted in Stepanovs signing on a four-year deal.
“I would say the worst signing ever for Arsenal was Igors Stepanovs,” Pennant stated. “He played a training match, but Bergkamp and Ray Parlour were going, ‘Oh, he’s unbelievable’ in front of the boss. In front of Martin Keown, and then a week later, he comes walking in on a four-year deal. Four years and it was so bad.
“It was bad. Probably one of the worst signings I’ve seen.” Stepanovs joined Arsenal following an injury to Tony Adams and kicked off his career with a goal against Ipswich Town on his debut. However, his fortunes quickly took a turn for the worse, reports the Mirror.
In a pivotal match against Manchester United, with both teams challening for the Premier League title, Stepanovs was part of a 6-1 thrashing at Old Trafford, with Dwight Yorke scoring a hat-trick in the first half. The ex-defender only featured one more time that season in a clash against Manchester City before leaving the club in 2004 to join Swiss Super League outfit Grasshoppers.
Igors Stepanovs’ signing was a bizarre one according to Pennant (Image: EXPRESS/STAR)
Pennant eventually left Arsenal a year after his former team-mate in order to re-join Birmingham City permanently. He spent just one season at the club before clinching a £6.7million move to Liverpool where he played alongside the likes of Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, and Fernando Torres.
In the three years he played under Rafa Benitez at Anfield, Pennant scored a mere three goals in 81 games but enjoyed the crowning moment of his career in the Reds’ 2-1 defeat to AC Milan in the 2007 Champions League final where he was named Man of the Match.
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1944873/arsenal-star-jermaine-pennant-arsene-wenger