St Etienne defender Loic Perrin has admitted regret after failing to sign for Arsenal in the January transfer window. Reports from London Evening Standard quote the player saying, “There were serious contacts via my agent. I think I was on a shortlist but not at the very top apparently.”

Arsenal eventually signed Gabriel Paulista from Villareal for a reported £11.2m deal despite being heavily linked with Perrin. However, the reports claims that the Gunners never made a formal bid for the player and he was among several other alternatives alternatives including West ham’s Winston Reid should the London side fail to sign Paulista.

Perrin though believes that despite a transfer move in the winter is always difficuly, he would have loved to play for Arsene Wenger’s side, “A transfer in this window, it is difficult. But it is difficult to refuse Arsenal.”

“I have always said have if I have to leave St Etienne, one day, it would be for a bigger club, a club that plays in the Champions League. A club like Arsenal, I don’t think many Ligue 1 players would refuse.”