Troy Deeney rejected Arsenal after refusing to apologise for ‘cojones’ jibe and could’ve been Harry Kane’s back-up at Tottenham
Troy Deeney has revealed both Arsenal and Tottenham approached him following Watford’s relegation from the Premier League in 2020. But whilst neither move materialised in the end, the Hornets legend says the Gunners‘ interest never went anywhere all thanks to his rather bold comments made in a post-match interview. Deeney could’ve stayed in the Premier League in 2020getty The Hornets cult hero revealed he was approached by the north London rivalsyoutube @filthyfellas Deeney eventually signed for boyhood club Birmingham City in 2021, staying for two years before joining Forest Green Rovers, who he later managed for six games from December 2023-January 2024. But before his departure at Vicarage Road, the ex-striker received a proposal regarding a move to the Emirates and a chance to stay in the Premier League – however there was a catch. Speaking on the Filthy Fellas podcast, Deeney said: “You know I was close to signing [for Arsenal]. The year I got relegated. “We lost at Arsenal, 3-2, me and Welbz [Danny Welbeck] scored, we could have probably beaten you, it was that COVID year, behind closed doors. “We got relegated on that day, this is at Arsenal, and everyone was like, ‘Ahhh cajones!’ and whatever, ‘Shut your mouth man.’” Deeney is of course referring to the time he accused Arsenal of lacking ‘cojones’ following Watford’s 2-1 victory over the north London giants at Vicarage Road in the 2017/18 season, which sparked a feud between him and the Gunners faithful. He continued: “Then, back in training, I’m just on the bike because my knee isn’t right. “Someone from Arsenal calls, like, ‘Yo, would you go Arsenal? But what you have to do, you have to apologise for that comment.’ “I said I wasn’t going to apologise for that.” Tottenham were also interested in Deeney that same summer, with Jose Mourinho eyeing him up up as a back-up for striker Harry Kane. Arsenal approached Deeney ahead of the 2020/21 seasonGetty As did Mourinho, who thought Deeney could be Kane’s back-upGetty Images “I was driving to the south of France, it was still COVID times, you couldn’t really fly and all that,” Deeney explained. “And my agent phones: ‘Watford want to get rid of you’. “I’m literally like, ‘Me!?’ Bear in mind I’m driving in shorts because I can’t put trousers on, my knee’s massive [from an injury he was playing through]. “My knee is swelling and you want to talk about getting rid of me now? “Bearing in mind the last four months I haven’t been getting paid! Because I said to them to keep it, make sure the staff get paid. So now I was taking everything personally. “Anyway, I settled down for a week, come back and they’re like, ‘Will you speak to [Jose] Mourinho at Spurs?’ “If you remember, the season finished in July and then we were straight back in, it was a quick turnaround. Will I speak to Mourinho? Of course I will, it’s Jose, what do you mean? Like, who’s not going to speak to Mourinho.” Vinicius signed on a season-long loan, ending Deeney’s hopes of joiningGETTY IMAGES And soon enough, Deeney found himself face to face with The Special One – but again, there was a catch. “He wanted me to come in at Spurs, but they’ve got that [Carlos] Vinicius guy [lined up], they’re toying with that idea,” he said. “They asked me to have a chat [with Mourinho], he wanted to know if I’d come in and be me. I said, ‘listen, I’m 32, let’s have a good time innit, I’ll come.’ It’s the only time I would have played in Europe. “If Harry [Kane] is doing well I’d be his biggest cheerleader, but if he’s not I’ll step in – and also daily I’ll push him. I’m nowhere near as good as Harry, nowhere near, will never say that. But there are certain things I do that he can’t do. “But I thought I could do that [back-up] role, and they were in the Europa League or something like that so I was happy to play every Thursday, no problem. We had the chat, he said ‘if I can’t get [Vinicus] over the line you’re next.’ Sweet.” Of course, Spurs ended up signing Vinicius, and Deeney stayed on at Vicarage Road for another year, helping Watford get promoted back to the top-flight. Who knows what would have been if Vinicius hadn’t have been available and Deeney never said Arsene Wenger’s side lacked cojones.
Troy Deeney has revealed both Arsenal and Tottenham approached him following Watford’s relegation from the Premier League in 2020.
But whilst neither move materialised in the end, the Hornets legend says the Gunners‘ interest never went anywhere all thanks to his rather bold comments made in a post-match interview.
Deeney eventually signed for boyhood club Birmingham City in 2021, staying for two years before joining Forest Green Rovers, who he later managed for six games from December 2023-January 2024.
But before his departure at Vicarage Road, the ex-striker received a proposal regarding a move to the Emirates and a chance to stay in the Premier League – however there was a catch.
Speaking on the Filthy Fellas podcast, Deeney said: “You know I was close to signing [for Arsenal]. The year I got relegated.
“We lost at Arsenal, 3-2, me and Welbz [Danny Welbeck] scored, we could have probably beaten you, it was that COVID year, behind closed doors.
“We got relegated on that day, this is at Arsenal, and everyone was like, ‘Ahhh cajones!’ and whatever, ‘Shut your mouth man.’”
Deeney is of course referring to the time he accused Arsenal of lacking ‘cojones’ following Watford’s 2-1 victory over the north London giants at Vicarage Road in the 2017/18 season, which sparked a feud between him and the Gunners faithful.
He continued: “Then, back in training, I’m just on the bike because my knee isn’t right.
“Someone from Arsenal calls, like, ‘Yo, would you go Arsenal? But what you have to do, you have to apologise for that comment.’
“I said I wasn’t going to apologise for that.”
Tottenham were also interested in Deeney that same summer, with Jose Mourinho eyeing him up up as a back-up for striker Harry Kane.
“I was driving to the south of France, it was still COVID times, you couldn’t really fly and all that,” Deeney explained. “And my agent phones: ‘Watford want to get rid of you’.
“I’m literally like, ‘Me!?’ Bear in mind I’m driving in shorts because I can’t put trousers on, my knee’s massive [from an injury he was playing through].
“My knee is swelling and you want to talk about getting rid of me now?
“Bearing in mind the last four months I haven’t been getting paid! Because I said to them to keep it, make sure the staff get paid. So now I was taking everything personally.
“Anyway, I settled down for a week, come back and they’re like, ‘Will you speak to [Jose] Mourinho at Spurs?’
“If you remember, the season finished in July and then we were straight back in, it was a quick turnaround. Will I speak to Mourinho? Of course I will, it’s Jose, what do you mean? Like, who’s not going to speak to Mourinho.”
And soon enough, Deeney found himself face to face with The Special One – but again, there was a catch.
“He wanted me to come in at Spurs, but they’ve got that [Carlos] Vinicius guy [lined up], they’re toying with that idea,” he said.
“They asked me to have a chat [with Mourinho], he wanted to know if I’d come in and be me. I said, ‘listen, I’m 32, let’s have a good time innit, I’ll come.’ It’s the only time I would have played in Europe.
“If Harry [Kane] is doing well I’d be his biggest cheerleader, but if he’s not I’ll step in – and also daily I’ll push him.
I’m nowhere near as good as Harry, nowhere near, will never say that. But there are certain things I do that he can’t do.
“But I thought I could do that [back-up] role, and they were in the Europa League or something like that so I was happy to play every Thursday, no problem.
We had the chat, he said ‘if I can’t get [Vinicus] over the line you’re next.’ Sweet.”
Of course, Spurs ended up signing Vinicius, and Deeney stayed on at Vicarage Road for another year, helping Watford get promoted back to the top-flight.
Who knows what would have been if Vinicius hadn’t have been available and Deeney never said Arsene Wenger’s side lacked cojones.
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