Arsenal star prevented Arsene Wenger from signing N’Golo Kante - Alan Smith

Arsenal legend Alan Smith believes Arsene Wenger pulled out of the race to sign N’Golo Kante because of his faith in Francis Coquelin.

Kante, who was named the PFA Player of the Year on Sunday evening, joined Leicester City from Caen in 2015 and made an instant impact in the Premier League.

The French midfielder helped the Foxes defy odds of 5000-1 to win the title and became the subject of much interest during the subsequent summer window.

The Gunners were pushing to secure Kante’s services but London rivals Chelsea landed his signature in July with a £32million move.

And Smith insists Arsenal made a big mistake by failing to land the industrious midfielder.

‘Of course they should have,’ Smith told Sky Sports when asked if Wenger should have gone all out to sign Kante.

‘He’s something that they haven’t got. I think Arsene Wenger thought at the time that Coquelin would be able to do that job.

‘But Coquelin has stood still and hasn’t become the player we thought he would when he first broke into the Arsenal team.

‘It’s reflected in the fact he’s not getting in the team. He didn’t get in the semi-final team at the weekend.

‘I think it was a mistake. If he could have got him, he should have got him.’