Adel Taraabt admits he made a mistake opting for Tottenham Hotspur over Arsenal
There are some players who, despite never becoming regular starters or Premier League stars, still manage to carve out a unique place in the hearts of Tottenham Hotspur fans. Adel Taarabt was exactly that, a mercurial talent whose flashes of brilliance continue to stir memories among the White Hart Lane faithful.
This week, Taarabt revisited his time in North London, admitting that, in hindsight, he may have been better suited to Arsenal under Arsène Wenger. But while the Moroccan maestro might feel a tinge of regret, Spurs fans know that his journey, however brief or turbulent, still left a lasting imprint.
The lalent was undeniable, the path wasn’t simple
Taarabt arrived at Spurs in 2007 as a precocious teenager from RC Lens. He was raw, unpredictable, and mesmerising with the ball at his feet. Spurs fans saw glimpses of something special: a fearless dribbler, a street footballer in the most romantic sense.
In a recent chat with Jamie O’Hara on talkSPORT (h/t GiveMeSport), Taarabt opened up about the challenges he faced breaking into a team that boasted senior attacking names like Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov.
“It was difficult to get a chance. I followed Damien Comolli from Arsenal to Tottenham. Maybe I should have stayed on course for the red side.”
But as any loyal Lilywhite will tell you, North London isn’t just about game time or language comfort. It’s about identity. It’s about character. And for all the flair Taarabt possessed, perhaps it was the grit and discipline that needed nurturing—traits that blossomed far later in his journeyman career.
A missed opportunity or a badge of honour?
Taarabt admitted that a move to Arsenal, which was a strong possibility at the time, might have suited him better given their French core and stylistic fit. “It would have been easier with Arsène Wenger,” he claimed. But easy doesn’t always mean better.
“I think it was a more French club – for me, it would have been easy with Arsene Wenger, they had a lot of French players. And they were playing well.”
While Arsenal may have had a well-established pipeline for French talent, Spurs were building something of their own. Taarabt arrived in the same era as Gareth Bale and Kyle Walker, and although his time at Tottenham didn’t pan out as planned, he was part of a turning point for the club, one that ultimately laid the foundation for the team we see today.
His comments aren’t a slight against Tottenham, they’re an honest reflection of a young player trying to find his path in a competitive environment. And in truth, Spurs fans will always appreciate the magic he tried to bring, even if the stage was shared too briefly.
Adel Taarabt may look back and wonder “what if” about Arsenal, but at Tottenham, he became a cult figure. Not every legacy is measured in goals or appearances, sometimes it’s in the excitement a player brings when the ball touches their boots.
For Spurs supporters, Taarabt was one of those players you couldn’t ignore. A street baller with attitude. A wildcard. A reminder of a time when raw flair still had a place in the game.
He may have regrets, but Tottenham fans won’t. Because for a few fleeting moments, Adel Taarabt wore the lilywhite shirt and brought a little chaos with it.
