Troy Deeney has revealed he was close to joining Arsenal following Watford’s relegation, but his refusal to apologise for a past remark about the Gunners derailed the potential move.
The former Watford striker, known for his long tenure with the club and his iconic goal against Leicester in the Championship play-offs, discussed the situation during an appearance on the Filthy Fellas podcast. Reflecting on his relegation season with Watford, Deeney said, “We lost 3-2 to Arsenal, me and Welbz [Danny Welbeck] scored, and we could’ve won. It was that COVID year, behind closed doors. Afterward, I got a call from someone at Arsenal asking if I’d be interested in joining, but they wanted me to apologise for my ‘cojones’ comment from 2017. I said no.”
Deeney’s “cojones” remark came after Watford’s 2-1 win over Arsenal in the 2017/18 season, sparking a long-standing feud with Arsenal fans. Despite Arsenal’s interest, Deeney also caught the attention of Tottenham Hotspur that summer. Then-manager José Mourinho considered him as a backup to Harry Kane.
Recalling his conversation with Spurs, Deeney shared: “I was driving to the south of France when my agent called, saying Watford wanted to let me go. My knee was in bad shape, and I wasn’t even being paid because I’d told the club to use my wages to support the staff. I took it personally. But when Spurs approached me, I was willing to talk. It’s Mourinho—who wouldn’t? He told me if he couldn’t secure Carlos Vinicius, I’d be next. I was happy to play every Thursday in the Europa League and back up Harry Kane.”
Ultimately, Tottenham signed Carlos Vinicius on loan, and Deeney remained at Watford for another season, helping them secure promotion before moving to Birmingham City. After two years at St. Andrew’s, he transitioned into a player-coach role at Forest Green Rovers but was dismissed in January 2024.
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