When Jose Antonio Reyes arrived at Arsenal on January 30, 2004, he declared: "I am the happiest man in the world at this moment, and at the same time the saddest”.
The 20-year-old was regarded as one of the hottest young prospects in world football, and it was befitting that his talents were heading to arguably the best team in Europe, midway through a league season they were going to complete without losing a match. But Jose Antonio’s delight at joining Arsène Wenger’s stellar cast of players was tempered by the fact he was leaving his beloved hometown Sevilla FC, where he had been making a name for himself since joining the youth team as a 10-year-old.