EXCLUSIVE: A former Arsenal star quit the club shortly before the Gunners became Premier League champions in a transfer decision he admits he regrets
A former Arsenal star has admitted he regretted quitting the Gunners shortly before they became Premier League champions.
Swedish midfielder Stefan Schwarz was only at Arsenal for one season in the 1994/95 campaign after the Gunners swooped to sign him from Benfica. Schwarz had won two league titles and the Taca de Portugal with the Lisbon giants, as well as playing in the side that knocked Arsenal out of the European Cup in 1991.
There was plenty of excitement surrounding his signing when Schwarz was unveiled at Highbury by George Graham in a £1.8million deal, following his brilliant performances in the 1994 World Cup with Sweden, when the Blagult finished third out in the United States. But after 48 appearances in his first campaign, Schwarz had grown frustrated with Graham’s defensive tactics and completed a move to rising Italian side Fiorentina in the summer of 1995.
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Graham had been dismissed that February, in the infamous illegal ‘bungs’ scandal. And following just one season with Bruce Rioch in charge, the legendary Arsene Wenger was appointed in the summer of 1996.
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Star Sport, via William Hill’s Jude Bellingham World Cup 2026 goals, Schwarz admitted his regret at leaving Arsenal when he did and would have loved the chance to play in Wenger’s team.
He said: “Of course yes, but unfortunately it was not meant to happen. He’s a gentleman, it would have been great to play under him.
“I can see why all players have a certain love and respect for him, with Arsene’s knowledge and success.
“He took Arsenal to another level and given I played for the club, I have so much admiration for them and Arsene delivering so much success was excellent to see.
“The style of play, the players be brought in and made better, Arsene would have been such a good manager for me to play under.
“But in football, you never know what’s going to happen, you never know what’s around the corner, you have to make a decision you see at the time.”
The midfielder missed out on a golden era at Highbury, as Wenger finished third in his first season, then lifted the Premier League and FA Cup double the following campaign.
Schwarz played three seasons at Fiorentina after leaving north London, later playing for Valencia in the 1998/99 season before returning to the Premier League with Sunderland for four years in a club-record deal, but he was forced to hang up his boots in 2003 owing to persistent knee injuries.
He played against the Gunners four times in the league for Sunderland, drawing three of those clashes and scoring in a 1-1 draw at the Stadium of Light in 2001.