Benfica midfielder Adel Taarabt says he was joining Arsenal before Damien Comolli's intervention.

Taarabt left Lens for Tottenham at the age of 17.

He told talkSPORT: "It was almost clear that I was going to Arsenal, but then came Damien Comolli, who worked at Tottenham (as sporting director) and he convinced me.

"At that time I played for France's U17 national team and could have gone to the biggest clubs in any league.

"When I signed with Tottenham, I thought: 'Okay, I'm going there because of the project they showed me'. They wanted to believe in young players and picked people like Gareth Bale, Kyle Walker. They wanted to do something really good.

"Of course it was difficult for me in the first six months, but I also do not think the club helped me develop and become a finished player."