Sunderland great Kevin Phillips has revealed how close he came to joining Arsenal.

He admits former Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has now acknowledged he made a mistake in instead buying the then 20-year-old Everton starlet Francis Jeffers, who flopped at Highbury.

Phillips, 46, told The Sun: “Arsene Wenger was keen to sign me.

“On Monday night, I was at a tribute dinner for him and when I saw him, he made a remark that maybe he should have gone for me instead of Francis Jeffers.

“It was a toss-up between me and Francis but because he was a bit younger, he opted for him.

“That would have been a dream come true, to play for my boyhood club.

“But at least he acknowledges now he perhaps should have gone for me - that makes me sleep easy at night!"