I dreamed of playing for Arsenal now I hate them because of what Arsene Wenger did

It is fair to say Gervinho will not go down in Arsenal folklore as one of the best transfers in the club's history. The frontman endured a checkered two seasons in north London, failing to live up to the impressive form he had shown in Ligue Un with Lille in the previous two seasons.

The Ivorian had netted 28 goals in 67 league appearances in two seasons for the French outfit, leading to Arsenal stumping up £10.5million for the then 24-year-old in July 2011.

His time at the Emirates Stadium got off to the worst possible start as he was sent off on his debut — an away game with Newcastle United. And things would not get much better.

Gervinho netted just four goals in 37 appearances for the Gunners, but things would get better at the start of the 2012/13 campaign. He struck five goals in his first seven games of the new season, looking like he had turned a corner. But that good form fizzled out with only two further goals to come that season.

He would end his time at Arsenal with just 11 goals to his name, from 63 appearances in the red and white under then manager Arsene Wenger. It was not a good time in his career and according to the player himself, ruined what had been a dream of his as a child.

Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport after joining Roma in 2013, Gervinho opened up on his disastrous spell in north London and blamed Wenger for failing to hit the heights.

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Gervinho said: "As a child I dreamed of playing for Arsenal, because I loved them. Now I hate them for the way Wenger treated me.

«He never had confidence in me. However, I regretted