I should have joined Arsenal instead of Tottenham – this is what happened

Adel Taarabt has taken a swipe at former club Tottenham whilst revealing his regret over not joining North London rivals Arsenal instead.

The Moroccan midfielder was often a polarising presence during his Premier League years, yet his undeniable flair in the middle of the park eventually made him a fan favourite at QPR. However, his initial spell in England with Spurs proved problematic as he battled for first-team opportunities.

Across his opening three campaigns, he managed merely 15 outings before heading out on loan to QPR during the 2008/09 term. It was at Loftus Road where Taarabt truly flourished, mesmerising supporters with his dynamic performances and netting 19 times during the 2010/11 campaign as he spearheaded their promotion charge under Neil Warnock.

His career subsequently took him to Fulham, AC Milan, Benfica and Genoa, with the playmaker now plying his trade in the UAE for Sharjah FC. Looking back on his Tottenham tenure with talkSPORT, Taarabt suggested he might have chosen differently given Arsenal's French contingent under Arsene Wenger.

"My first choice that I think was not good was - not to sign for Tottenham, because Tottenham is a good club - but at that time I had offers to go to Arsenal and it was a more French club with Arsene Wenger and a lot of French players," he began, via the Mirror.

"At Tottenham, I arrived in the dressing room with Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov, big characters, difficult to get a chance. I followed Damien Comoli, he was at Arsenal, I should've gone to Arsenal, but suddenly he was at Tottenham and he brought me there."

Taarabt is well remembered for his dazzling skills and creative flair during his stint in the Premier League, although his attitude, work ethic, and off-field antics often overshadowed his talent.

Harry Redknapp famously criticised him for being overweight and out of shape during their time at QPR, and Taarabt once made headlines for walking out after being subbed off in a match against Fulham.

In an amusing exchange during the same interview, Warnock called in live and half-jokingly threatened to fine him, acknowledging that while Taarabt could be "hard work," his talent was undeniable.

"Next time you come on, will you watch your language or I'll be fining you," Warnock quipped to his former player. "I get people stopping me in the street thanking me for that year [2010/11], saying, 'Adel, how good was he?'"

Warnock reminisced: "We had problems and you were hard work at times, but the pleasure that you gave me and the fans was fabulous."

Tottenham and Arsenal renew their fierce North London rivalry on Thursday when they meet for the first time outside of the UK for a pre-season clash in Hong Kong. It kicks off at 12:30pm UK time.

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