John Terry names the two Premier League teams he could’ve signed for as a youngster instead of Chelsea.

Arsenal's Missed Opportunities: John Terry Reveals Gunners Wanted Him Before Chelsea Move

Arsenal has had its fair share of near-misses when it comes to top talent, especially at the youth level. Over the years, several big names have crossed paths with the Gunners but ended up elsewhere, and the list is certainly impressive.

One notable example is Harry Kane, who was once on Arsenal's books before going on to become a Tottenham Hotspur legend. There’s also Antoine Semenyo, who had a trial at the club during his younger days.

Moreover, Federico Valverde came close to joining Arsenal as a teenager, but ended up making his name at Real Madrid instead.

In a recent interview on TalkSPORT, former England captain John Terry added his name to that list, revealing that both Arsenal and Manchester United were keen on signing him during his youth. However, it was Chelsea that ultimately secured his signature when he was just 14 years old.

Terry opened up about the decision to join Chelsea and the clubs that had shown interest in him before his Stamford Bridge move. According to Terry, both United and Arsenal made attempts to sign him, but he felt an immediate connection with Chelsea that made him choose the Blues over both top clubs.

“I first joined Chelsea when I was 14, it wasn’t the club we know 20 years later after winning all the trophies, we were a mid-table team who won the odd trophy," Terry shared. "I had Man United and Arsenal all wanting to sign me, but I walked into Chelsea and just thought that this feels like home to me. I loved it, I love the family feel about it, and the relationships you build with the supporters, the people within the club, it’s special, Chelsea means everything to me.”

Despite being courted by two of the Premier League’s biggest clubs, Terry’s decision to join Chelsea turned out to be the right one. He went on to become one of the club's greatest ever players, winning everything there is to win during his time at Stamford Bridge, establishing himself as a true Premier League legend.

Interestingly, there were talks of Terry joining Arsenal once again towards the end of his career, but Arsène Wenger played down the rumors at the time. However, Wenger did acknowledge Terry’s outstanding leadership abilities and his undeniable contribution to the game.

“He was not only a great player, he certainly still is, but he was also a great coach on the pitch,” Wenger said. “I saw him here once at London Colney playing with the Under-21s and the way he coached the team as a player was absolutely marvellous. He was a real leader and he had a great career as well, let’s not forget that.”

While Terry may never have worn an Arsenal shirt, his leadership and success at Chelsea are undeniable, making him one of the Premier League's most iconic defenders.