The 21-year-old, who is in Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Brazil World Cup squad, also claims Tottenham launched a bid for him last summer before he moved to Ukraine

Shakhtar Donetsk winger Bernard claims he could have joined Arsenal but says Arsene Wenger’s side “did not have the money”.

The 21-year-old, who has been named in Brazil’s World Cup squad by Luiz Felipe Scolari, was signed by the Ukrainian champions from Atletico Mineiro last August in a €25 million deal.

Bernard also revealed that Tottenham placed an offer but only Shakhtar were prepared to pay the money for him up front.

“We had offers from Tottenham and, according to my Atletico president, Arsenal were interested too – but didn’t have the money,” Bernard told FourFourTwo magazine.

“All of it happened in a moment in which Europe was facing a serious financial crisis, so while there was interest from various teams, the only one able to pay straight away was Shakhtar.”