Adel Taarabt, the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, has never shied away from expressing his regret about his choice to join Spurs instead of Arsenal. Reflecting on his career, the Moroccan playmaker revealed that signing for Arsenal would have been a much easier and more fitting decision for him. He joined Tottenham in January 2007, at just 17 years old, initially arriving on loan before securing a permanent move to White Hart Lane. However, his career at Spurs never truly gained momentum, and he struggled to break into the first team.
Over the course of nearly three seasons, Taarabt made just 15 appearances for Spurs before departing for Queens Park Rangers (QPR) in 2009. Although Tottenham provided him with an early opportunity in English football, Taarabt has often spoken candidly about how he longed to sign for Arsenal, mainly due to the presence of the club’s legendary manager, Arsène Wenger. Wenger, renowned for nurturing young talent, represented an ideal mentor in Taarabt’s eyes, something he felt was lacking during his time at Tottenham.
In an interview with The National, Taarabt admitted his admiration for Arsenal’s footballing philosophy and their willingness to integrate young players into the squad. “I signed for Tottenham, but I really wanted to join Arsenal under Arsène Wenger, the legendary Frenchman. However, Damian Comolli, Spurs’ director of football at the time, was adamant I go to Tottenham. He told me he was building something new. Gareth Bale joined around the same time as I did, and Kyle Walker arrived shortly after. It was a good club, but not one that gave young players the chances they needed.”
Despite appreciating the opportunity Spurs gave him, Taarabt often felt that Tottenham’s approach to player development did not align with his aspirations. He suggested that Arsenal’s “mentality” would have suited him better, making it easier for him to thrive. Throughout his career, Taarabt has been seen as a mercurial talent, a player capable of changing the course of a game with his skill, but his erratic form and perceived lack of discipline earned him the label of a maverick. He has played for eight clubs across multiple leagues, including spells at QPR, AC Milan, Benfica, and Al Nassr, but managed to make over 50 appearances for only three of them. His inconsistency led to him being named in a Premier League XI of “wasted potential,” a category highlighting players whose talent never fully materialized on the biggest stages.
Taarabt reflected on his time at Spurs, particularly how he struggled to adapt to life in London and the challenge of fitting in with a star-studded squad. “When I arrived in London, it was a real culture shock. In France, I was seen as the next Zidane, but at Spurs, I was just a young player in a dressing room with established stars like Robbie Keane, Dimitar Berbatov, and Edgar Davids. I didn’t feel special because I wasn’t special in that environment. At Arsenal, I believe I would have felt more comfortable, especially with the French influence and tradition that would have suited my style and mentality.”
The cultural adjustment and the competitive nature of the Premier League were hard on Taarabt, and after only a few months at Tottenham, he admitted to wanting to leave. “I remember thinking after just three months that I wanted to go back to France. People always said London was beautiful, but I found it dark and rainy by 3:30 pm in the winter. I didn’t speak English, which made it even harder to settle.”
Despite his frustrations in North London, Taarabt found a sense of belonging at QPR, where he made his biggest impact in English football. Reflecting on his time with the Hoops, he described it as the best decision of his career. “Signing for QPR was the best move I ever made. I needed to play, not just train, and at QPR, I found the love I needed. When you give me love, I want to give it back tenfold.” Taarabt’s time at Loftus Road saw him become a key player, and he was instrumental in their promotion to the Premier League in 2011. Over his time at QPR, he made 164 appearances, scoring 34 goals, cementing his legacy at the club.
Though his career did not unfold as many expected, especially given the early comparisons to Zinedine Zidane, Taarabt has often reflected on how a move to Arsenal might have changed his trajectory. His regret over missing the opportunity to play under Arsène Wenger and immerse himself in Arsenal’s more nurturing environment remains a significant ‘what if’ in the Moroccan’s footballing journey.
