Who are Arsenal’s greatest players in Premier League history?
Where to start? The Gunners have had it all, from unstoppable defenders, and the most elegant midfielders to the most ruthless of goal scorers – most of which were carefully guided by the expert mind of Arsene Wenger.
Recent times have forced people into some kind of amnesia, before Mikel Arteta welcomed a player of Gabriel Jesus’ calibre this season and the North London club began jump-starting several memories. We’re not here to talk about the present, however. Instead, it’s all about those who previously starred at Arsenal.
With some Invincible at their best, we’ve ranked Arsenal’s greatest players of the Premier League era.
There are going to be multiple positions in here, so we can also see the best striker in Arsenal’s history, as well as the best midfielder in Arsenal’s history and so on.
10) Robin van Persie
Arguably Arsenal’s greatest heartbreaker after he made the switch to Manchester United, before receiving a guard of honour at The Emirates after winning the Premier League title with The Red Devils, Robin van Persie remains one of the best players to play for the North London club in the Premier League era.
The Netherlands international scored 132 goals for the club during his time in north London, winning the FA Cup in 2005.
He was perhaps unfortunate not to win any other trophies at Arsenal – he would have to wait to join United to win the Premier League – which may well explain why he was so keen to move to Old Trafford.
Prior to his betrayal, the clinical Dutchman won one Golden Boot at the club, scoring 30 goals in the 2011/12 season.
9) Cesc Fabregas
Speaking of heartbreak, Cesc Fabregas committed a similar felony as Van Persie when he opted for a move back to his boyhood club Barcelona, before eventually ending up at Chelsea and winning the Premier League title in a fantastic individual and collective campaign.
Whilst at Arsenal, however, he had plenty of moments to remember, including a stunning solo goal against bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur, and his penalty against Barcelona in the 2010 Champions League last eight – scored with a broken leg.
Much like Van Persie, he struggled to win trophies in north London; he did lift the FA Cup in 2005 but, like his counterpart, would have to join another club to actually win the league title.
Still, he goes down in history as one of Arsenal’s best signings ever.
8) Ian Wright
Ian Wright Wright Wright may have been a late arrival to top-flight football, but when he arrived, he did not waste his opportunity. By the time he called it a day on his playing career, Wright had scored 113 Premier League goals to put him 22nd in the all time list.
The Arsenal forward was simply clinical, whether it be on his right or left foot, inside or outside of the box. Where there was a chance, there was usually a goal for the Gunners legend.
It perhaps isn’t remembered as much as the Invincibles team, but the Gunners did win the Premier League title in the 1997/98 season, with Wright leading the line. That team won the FA Cup too.
In addition to that, Wright won the Cup Winners’ Cup with the Gunners in a trophy-laden spell.
7) Robert Pires
If there was a prize for elegance on a football pitch, then Robert Pires would be in with every chance of taking that prize.
Prior to that, though, he won Arsenal’s Player of the Season in 2001/02, as he recorded 24 goal involvements in the Premier League in what was an incredible campaign.
Indeed, it was Pires’ poise and panache that played a key role in the Invincibles season, with the Frenchman an irrepressible force.
They struggled to replace him for years after he departed to join Villarreal in 2006, before going on to play for Aston Villa and FC Goa.
6) Tony Adams
Tony Adams, Mr Arsenal, is perhaps the true definition of perseverance with several setbacks throughout his career, including prison time for a drunk driving offence, before he eventually stepped up to another level under Wenger – as most Arsenal players did.
By the end of his career, Adams had won four league titles, including two Premier Leagues to cement his place amongst the best defenders to ever play for Arsenal.
Indeed, Adams was even named in the PFA Team of the Century in 2007, while winning Arsenal’s Player of the Year award on three occasions.
Now, he is an MBE, cementing his legacy forever.
5) David Seaman
One of the best goalkeepers that the Premier League has ever seen, David Seaman has his place in Arsenal’s history, keeping a total of 218 clean sheets for the North London club, and winning three league titles, four FA Cups, and one League Cup amongst a number of other achievements during his illustrious career between the sticks.
Seaman was the bedrock of achievement for the Gunners, particularly in their early years under the management of Arsene Wenger.
A truly elite ‘keeper who was capable of the impossible – his save against Sheffield United in the FA Cup continues to defy belief – Seaman was also a seasoned international who was England’s No.1 for a number of years.
A true Gunners great.
4) Sol Campbell
A big part of the Arsenal Invincibles, Sol Campbell’s legacy as a Premier League defender is difficult to match, such was his incredible ability to perform at the greatest levels.
It takes some career for Arsenal fans to discard the fact that a player previously captained Tottenham Hotspur. And, having won two league titles, and three FA Cups, it’s fair to say that Campbell had that necessary career.
He remains a divisive figure when it comes to other supporters, but Arsenal fans will forever hold Campbell in their hearts, if only for the ludicrous amount of anger his move caused.
It helped that he was so good afterwards, too.
3) Patrick Vieira
One of the only players who dared to stand face to face with Roy Keane, Patrick Vieira’s rivalry with his Manchester United counterpart almost summed him up as a player. He had that necessary fire in the earlier days of the Premier League, whilst also possessing that technical elegance.
Simply put, the Arsenal man ticked every single box possibly needed for a midfielder, and more.
Just to look at his trophy list is to see a player who has been there and done it all: at Arsenal, he won three Premier League titles and four FA Cups.
A staggering player with a staggering career.
2) Dennis Bergkamp
When we think of Dennis Bergkamp, we instantly think of THAT goal against Newcastle United. To this day, we haven’t seen that flick attempted with success again.
And, yes, we are very much in the ‘he meant it’ corner of this debate. Bergkamp was simply too good to pull something out of that calibre by accident. Everything he did in an Arsenal shirt was always so expertly measured.
Indeed, he won three Premier League titles, multiple FA Cups, and went within 90 minutes of winning the Champions League.
He was both one of their best creators and their best finisher.
1) Thierry Henry
He was always going to be at the top of this list, wasn’t he? One of the best players of all time, not just at Arsenal, or in the Premier League, Thierry Henry never ceased to amaze fans. Whether it be his vintage no-look pass, or his incredible volley against Manchester United, it’s hard to narrow down our favourite Henry moment. The Frenchman could and did do it all during his playing days.
It feels mad to say that Henry only won the Premier League twice, and that he only won the FA Cup twice, before moving to win the Champions League with Barcelona.
A giant of the game, Henry feels like he should be a multiple-time cup winner, and his trophies do not match his impact in north London.
Quite simply, he might well be the greatest player ever to pull on the famous red shirt.
So, there you have it, our list of Arsenal’s greatest players of the Premier League era. These are the idols of the likes of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli; the players that Arteta will be hoping to see emulated whilst in the technical area. If any current player even gets close to the levels of Henry in the next few years, then, all of a sudden, the Gunners could be back competing at Europe’s top table.
Things are looking up at The Emirates, as if the process has somewhat sped up in the last year or so. And, with that, it would come as little surprise if we’re talking about a new batch of Arsenal icons in a decade’s time.