Samuel Eto’o has revealed he was hours away from signing for Arsenal.

The Cameroon international says he was about to join Arsene Wenger’s side, but made a last-minute u-turn which shaped the rest of his career.

Eto’o was persuaded to reject the Gunners by former Spain boss Luis Aragones, who convinced him to join Real Mallorca on the very day he was supposed to be signing a contract with Arsenal, back in 2000.

“I met Luis at a crucial moment in my life where I had to take the right direction – and thanks to him I did,” he told The Sun.

“I was about to sign that very afternoon at Arsenal and maybe I would have never been the player I am today. Luis picked me, then I ended up joining Barcelona.

“That decision changed everything.”

After four years with Mallorca, Eto'o signed for Barcelona in 2004.

He enjoyed his most successful period at the Nou Camp, winning La Liga three times and the Champions League twice.

He then spent two years with Inter Milan – where he won an unprecedented treble of Serie A title, Champions League and the Coppa Italia – before his switch to the Russian league with Anzhi in 2011.

He joined Chelsea this summer.

•Credit (except headline): Daily Mirror.