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Manchester United star Zlatan Ibrahimovic recalls meeting with Arsene Wenger
The Swedish star almost joined Arsenal but turned down the chance to audition
Ibrahimovic says he expected to go straight into the first-team when he arrived
He has a chance to remind Wenger what he missed out on this Saturday evening

Published: 05:33 EDT, 2 December 2017 | Updated: 05:51 EDT, 2 December 2017

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic has recalled the famous moment he almost signed for Arsenal, revealing he expected to be put straight into the first-team rather than being asked to complete a trial.

The Swede is renowned for being one of many 'what if' moments for Arsene Wenger in the transfer market after he arrived at the club as an unknown but talented teenager.

But with his ego already as big as it is today, Ibrahimovic refused to complete a trial period with the club and chose Ajax instead. He has since had an incredible career that includes 11 league titles in four different countries.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic recalls the time he almost joined Arsenal as an unknown 16-year-old

Arsene Wenger turned down the chance to sign the striker after he refused to complete a trial

Ahead of his return to north London, where his Manchester United side face Arsenal in Saturday's evening Premier League tie, Ibrahimovic reiterated his famous line: 'I don't do trials'.

'I went to London for an appointment with Wenger, who asked me to audition for the Gunners,' Ibrahimovic said on Sky Sports Italia show I Signori del Calcio.

'I told him "I will not do a trial: either you take me or not, I'm not here to waste time".

Ibrahimovic has since won 11 league titles with five different clubs in a spectacular career

'I already had that kind of trust, because in my mind I was the strongest of all, even when I was young.

'I met Wenger because I expected him to tell me to start with them right away. But Ibra does not test.'

The Frenchman has previously claimed to have no regrets about his decision not to sign Ibrahimovic, but it goes without saying that his arrival at the club would have changed the course of their history.

Likewise, Wenger is also famed for having narrowly missed out on signing a 16-year-old Lionel Messi from Barcelona while he also claims to have been close to bagging Cristiano Ronaldo's signature ahead of Manchester United.