Arsenal are one of the greatest English football clubs of all time. They have won 13 top-flight titles, 14 FA Cups, and numerous other trophies in their history. They notably won the 2003-04 Premier League title without losing a single game and the iconic side was named ‘The Invincibles’.
The Gunners are one of the ‘Big Six’ clubs in England and continue to assert their dominance on the domestic front. They have had some iconic players don their colors over the years like Thierry Henry, Tony Adams, and many more.
The north London side weren’t always known to spend big bucks on players but managed to recruit brilliantly. So, let’s take a look at the top 10 best Arsenal signings of all time:
10. Freddie Ljungberg
Freddie Ljungberg joined the Gunners from Swedish side Halmstads BK in the summer of 1998 for a reported fee of €4.50 million. He made 328 appearances for the club, scoring 72 goals and providing 40 assists.
During his nine-year stay at the club, the Swedish icon won two league titles and three FA Cups, among other honors. He was also named the Player of the Season in the 2001-02 season of the English top flight.
Also Read: Top 10 Best Premier League Strikers of All-time
9. Pat Jennings
There are rarely any players who can boast of being a club legend at both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur and Pat Jennings is one of them. After an illustrious 13-year spell at Spurs, he joined the Gunners and spent another 12 years with them.
He made over 300 appearances for the Gunners, helping them win an FA Cup. He then returned to Spurs for a year before moving to Everton and retiring.
8. Sol Campbell
Sol Campbell also switched from Tottenham to Arsenal but unlike Pat Jennings, he is highly disliked by the Spurs fans, to put it mildly. The defender had previously said that he would never join the Gunners but he did on a free transfer in 2001.
He went on to make over 200 appearances at the club across two spells, winning two Premier League titles, among other honors.
7. Robert Pires
The former French midfielder arrived at the Emirates from Olympique Marseille in 2000. He won the club’s Player of the Year award in the 2001-02 season and also the FWA Football of the Year award.
Pires made 284 appearances during his six-year spell at the club, scoring 84 goals and providing 62 assists. He won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups, among other honors.
6. Cliff Bastin
Cliff Bastin is the North London’s side third highest goal scorer of all time with 178 goals, behind Thierry Henry and Ian Wright. He arrived at the club from Exeter City in 1929 and went on to win five top-flight titles, among numerous other honors.
5. David Seaman
Regarded as one of the greatest English goalkeepers of all time, David Seaman joined the Gunners from Queens Park Rangers (QPR) in 1990. During his 13-year stay at the club, he made 544 appearances, keeping 230 clean sheets.
His transfer fee worth £1.3 million was a record fee for a goalkeeper back then. He won three league titles and four FA Cups, among other honors, before joining Manchester City in 2003.
Also Read: Ranking Arsenal’s 10 Most Expensive Signings
4. Ian Wright
Arsenal’s second-highest scorer of all time – Ian Wright – was a lethal striker during his time. He scored 185 goals and provided over 30 assists in around 280 appearances during his time at the club.
Wright arrived from Crystal Palace in 1991 for a then club-record fee of £2.5 million. He helped them win one league title and two FA Cups, among other honors. He eventually moved to West Ham United in 1998.
3. Dennis Bergkamp
One of the most spectacular forwards to have played in the Premier League, Dennis Bergkamp joined the North London side from Inter Milan in 1995. He was brilliant with the ball and scored some incredible goals across his 11-year stint at the club.
The elegant Dutchman scored 120 goals and provided 112 assists in 422 games for the side, winning numerous trophies, including three league titles. He eventually retired from the club in 2006.
2. Patrick Vieira
Arguably the best midfielder in the Gunners’ history, Patrick Vieira arrived from AC Milan in 1996 and stayed until 2005. He made over 400 appearances at the club, helping them win three league titles and four FA Cups, among other honors.
Vieira was known to be a dominant figure in midfield who was never one to back out of a duel. He was a key figure in the side that helped break Manchester United’s dominance under Sir Alex Ferguson as his midfield battles with Roy Keane became legendary.
1. Thierry Henry
Widely regarded as not just Arsenal’s but also the Premier League’s greatest player of all time, Thierry Henry joined the club from Juventus in 1999. He made 377 appearances, becoming the club’s all-time top scorer with 228 goals along with providing 97 assists.
He won the Premier League Golden Boot a record four times and the league title twice. Known for his pace, shooting ability, passing, and dribbling skills, Thierry Henry was a full package. He was a key member of the side that won the ‘Invincibles’ title.
Also Read: Top 10 greatest Arsenal managers of all time
FAQs
Q. Who is Arsenal’s most expensive signing ever?
A. Declan Rice – £105 million
Q. Who is the best Arsenal player of all time?
A. Thierry Henry is widely regarded Arsenal’s best player of all time.