Gervinho, the Ivorian forward, once fulfilled a childhood dream by signing with Arsenal in 2011, but he later developed a strong dislike for the club due to a difficult exit initiated by Arsene Wenger. After excelling at Lille, where he secured a league and cup double in his final season, he joined Arsenal for £10.5 million, arriving with high hopes.
His debut season was marred by a red card during his first Premier League match, and although he started his second season with promise, his performance quickly declined. He was sold to Roma the following summer, feeling he had not fully realized his potential at Arsenal.
Reflecting on his time there, Gervinho said, “As a child, I dreamed of playing for Arsenal because I loved them. Now I hate them for the way Wenger treated me. He never had confidence in me. However, I regretted leaving the club after such a short time without being able to show my worth, which I’m now doing at Roma instead.”
During his three seasons in Rome, Gervinho recorded 26 goals and 20 assists in 88 appearances. Wenger later explained his decision to sell Gervinho, stating, “I made that decision because he looked to play with a lack of confidence, especially at the Emirates.” He added that Gervinho, being a creative and instinctive player, needed confidence to perform effectively.
After leaving Roma, Gervinho briefly played for Hebei China Fortune before returning to Serie A with Parma in 2018, where he spent three seasons. He then joined Trabzonspor in 2021, but a knee injury affected his time there. Most recently, he played for Aris Thessaloniki in Greece during the 2022/23 season.
