Arsene Wenger is disappointed that defender Matthew Upson did not stay and fulfil his potential at Arsenal - and he even thought about buying him back. The 30-year-old centre-back is set to face his old club at Upton Park on Sunday.
With the likes of then captain Tony Adams, Steve Bould and Martin Keown all ahead of him at Highbury, Upson found his chances limited before suffering a serious knee injury which kept him out for the best part of a year.
Now settled at West Ham, after a £6million switch from Birmingham two-and-a-half years ago, Upson has become a regular in Fabio Capello's England squad and looks set to head to the World Cup next summer.
Wenger said: "I knew when he left that he would make a big career, but at that moment when Matthew was here, he was impatient.
"That I could understand as well because I bought him at Luton and after a few years he didn't play here.
"I didn't stop him [going] because I knew he had qualities to play in the Premiership, but he had players in front of him that stopped him."
Wenger insisted: "I knew he would make it.
"He had Premiership quality and had the potential to be international quality.
The Frenchman also revealed Upson was a player he had contemplated trying to bring back to Arsenal before he switched to Upton Park.
"Yes, he was always in my mind. Upson has good quality, good attitude, good spirit," said the French coach.
"But of course this is not the best moment to talk about that because he is a player at West Ham.
"Three, four, five years ago yes, but now he is settled and has a good career where he is."
