http://www.sport.co.uk/news/Football/42946/Agent_Arsenal_turned_down_signing_Schwarzer_for_free.aspxAgent: Arsenal turned down signing Schwarzer for freeMark Schwarzer could have joined Arsenal on a free transfer two years ago, according to his former agent Barry Silkman.
The Australian international was offered to the Gunners as he entered his final year at Middlesbrough but ended up sealing a free move to Fulham after Arsene Wenger opted to add Pole Lukasz Fabianski as back-up to then first choice Manuel Almunia.
Schwarzer, 37, has since been the subject of two formal offers from the Gunners in the current transfer window, but with Mark Hughes unwilling to allow his number one stopper to leave without lining up a replacement it appears that the 37-year-old Premier League veteran could miss out on a chance to test himself at the highest level.
Speaking exclusively to Sport.co.uk on deadline day, agent Barry Silkman made clear that his former client is desperate to join Arsenal, recognising that it will be the final chance of his career to play for a big four club.
“His current situation is he wants to leave,” Silkman stressed.
“The one thing about Mark is he is probably the nicest player, as a man, that I’ve ever been involved with. I’ve really, really got a lot of time for him. I think he’ll be really frustrated and obviously you only get one chance to go to a club like Arsenal.
“It’s funny actually because years ago when he was coming to the end of his contract at Middlesbrough, and he hadn’t agreed an extension, I spoke with Arsenal and they didn’t fancy him.
“I tell a lie, they didn’t say they didn’t fancy him; they just weren’t sure as they had other goalkeepers on the horizon. My response was that I told them they were making a mistake, and to be honest I think they did make a mistake.
“He would have been available on a free and I think at the time they made a mistake. I’m not being biased because I was his representative, but for ten, eleven years he has been the most consistent goalkeeper in the Premier League.
“He’s now got one chance to get out and obviously if he doesn’t he’ll be very frustrated. That’s the name of the game, that’s football; if a club has you under contract the bottom line is they can do what they want to do.”
Reflecting on Schwarzer’s current contract at Craven Cottage, Silkman believes that the player was eventually ill-advised not to have had a clause inserted allowing him to move for a million pound fee.
“If I’d have done the deal taking him to Fulham you know...if I’d been his agent on the deal I would have got a clause in there that says if a club, by some miracle, offers a million for him he should be allowed to go. He was 34/35 when he went there; I would have had that inserted into his contract for sure.”
With the 6pm deadline fast approaching, Arsenal are expected to pursue Fulham with one final bid for Schwarzer with speculation mounting that a £4 million offer has been tabled.
