IAN WRIGHT admits he was left ‘saddened’ when Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie left Arsenal.
Henry departed the Gunners in 2007 and won the Champions League with Barcelona.
Van Persie signed for Manchester United in 2012 and lifted the Premier League title during Sir Alex Ferguson’s last season in charge.
And former Gunners striker Wright thinks Arsene Wenger went ‘soft’ in the transfer market.
“When Thierry (Henry) left and went on with Barcelona to win the Champions League, that was basically saying to the players ‘you're not going to win the Champions League here’,” Wright told BBC’s The Premier League Show.
“That made me quite sad when it happened.
“Then for Robin van Persie to go to Man United and score all the goals like he did, they literally won the league with his goals.
GETTY
Ian Wright laments the day Arsenal sold Robin van Persie (left) and Thierry Henry (right)
“I don't think they would have won it without it.
“I think that somewhere along the line Arsene Wenger got really soft on that.”
MARTIN GLENN has admitted Arsene Wenger had the “perfect criteria” to take over as the new manager of England after Sam Allardyce’s disgrace.
The FA chief executive insists that whoever succeeds Allardyce, sacked on Tuesday after just 67 days in charge after being filmed by undercover reporters advising on how to get round rules on third-party player ownership, does not have to be English, would preferably be older, and have plenty of Premier League experience.
Wenger’s Arsenal contract runs at out the end of this season, though he has a two-year extension as an option, and he has said he will make his decision on his future at the end of this campaign.
The FA have singled out Wenger, 66, as one of the men they want to replace Allardyce having openly coveted him last summer when Roy Hodgson resigned, when the Gunners boss ruled himself out.
England Under-21 manager Gareth Southgate, who has been placed in temporary charge for the next four matches, is also a candidate, as are Gary Neville, Glenn Hoddle, Steve Bruce, Eddie Howe, Red Bull Leipzig sporting director Ralf Rangnick, and Alan Pardew.
Glenn said: “Yes, Arsene Wenger will be out of contract at the end of the season. Of course he’d fit the criteria perfectly. So would a few others.
“The criteria won’t change, it wasn’t wrong before. You don’t have to be wedded to the fact he has to be English, that narrows the field too far. We want the best person for the job. Being English is a bonus.
“Premier League experience would be preferable. If you look at the track record of successful international managers they are usually older. It doesn’t mean they have to be. The average age of a successful manager is probably in their 60s.”
Asked if the FA were prepared to wait until the end of the season for their man, Glenn said: “We want to get the right person.”
GETTY
Arsene Wenger will decide his future at the end of the season
Wenger has not ruled out the prospect of taking over England several times this week and yesterday, as he prepared to celebrate his 20th anniversary at Arsenal, he said: “Right now my priority is to do well here at Arsenal.
“This has always been my club, but if I am free one day, why not? I’m focused on my job right now.
“One of the factors in my decision will be that the club and supporters still want me, and I still want to stay. What will make me want to stay is that I feel I can give more to the club.
“I still think that the priority is for an Englishman to manage England. It would always look a bit bizarre if I manage England and play against France.”
As for Southgate, placed in charge for the World Cup qualifying games against Malta, Slovenia and Scotland and the friendly against Spain, Glenn said: “Gareth is a genuine contender but this isn’t an audition. He has a choice to make at the end if he wants to throw his hat into the ring. But he wouldn’t be the sole candidate.”
Robbie Savage is tipping Arsene Wenger to be the next permanent England manager.
Mirror columnist Robbie has given his predictions in a series of exclusive videos, in association with William Hill.
And this week he's told why he believes the Arsenal boss - currently 5/1 with the bookies - would be the ideal choice for the under-fire FA.
Don't forget you can get a £5 bet every week with the William Hill Offer Club . For more tips and odds for this weekend check out William Hill's Twitter @WillHillBet
Former Leicester City star Robbie believes Wenger is the man for three reasons. He explained: "Arsene Wenger's contract is up in the summer and I think he'd make an absolutely brilliant England manager.
"He'd have the respect of the players, he's a good guy and he's won trophies. I think England would suit Arsene Wenger perfectly."
Robbie believes Wenger switching to manage England would ease his Emirates exit. He added: "His departure from Arsenal would be nice, friendly and 'well done Arsene Wenger.'
"If he doesn't win a trophy this year it could end a bit bitter..."
Wenger himself today appeared to throw his hat into the ring for the top job.
When asked about the vacant position and the prospect of managing the national team, he conceded: "Why not? My priority is to do well here though. This has always been my club, but one day if I am free, why not, but at the moment I was focused on my job.”
Arsene Wenger still has the 'fire in his belly' to continue at Arsenal, says the man who appointed him David Dein.
Wenger has been linked with the England job following Sam Allardyce's surprise departure and it has also been reported he is set to leave at the end of this season, but Dein believes he could stay on for a while yet.
He told talkSPORT: "It depends how he feels during the season but he's very fit, he's very determined and he still has the fire in his belly.
"I always say that he won't be a difficult act to follow – he will be an impossible act to follow."
Gunners to battle for Dembele?
Dembele is reportedly on Arsenal's radar
Arsenal are preparing to battle Real Madrid and Bayern Munich for the signature of Celtic star Moussa Dembele.
That is according to The Sun, who say Arsene Wenger is ready to go back in for the 20-year-old after missing out on his services over the summer.
Dembele has enjoyed a rip-roaring start to the season and netted twice in the Hoops' 3-3 draw with Manchester City in midweek.
Scouts from Arsenal were in attendance, but Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are also interested in sealing the player's services.
Coleman questions Arsenal's handling of Ramsey
Ramsey remains sidelined
Chris Coleman has publicly questioned Arsenal ’s treatment of Aaron Ramsey after ruling the star out of Wales’ looming World Cup qualifiers.
Midfielder Ramsey has not played since suffering a hamstring injury on the opening weekend of the Premier League against Liverpool, writes Mirror Football's James Nursey.
The Wales boss said: “I had an indication that he would only be out for three weeks when he initially did it. That was six weeks ago. So I don’t know now.
“I have had more information from Sean, our head physio, who is liaising with Arsenal, that he has broken down in training.
“We have not yet been given a date on when he will definitely be back. I can’t be sure. I was sure in the last camp I would have him for this camp. It is frustrating. It is preventable."
Giroud axed from France squad
Groud has been left out by Didier Deschamps
Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud has been left out of France's squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Giroud has been recovering from a toe problem but came on as a substitute in last weekend's emphatic win over Chelsea.
He hasn't started a game for Arsenal this term and Didier Deschamps has opted not to select him for the games against Bulgaria and Holland, writes Mirror Football's Liam Prenderville.
Karim Benzema has also been left out with the French boss still unwilling to select him or Mathieu Valbuena after their controversial blackmail case last term.
Thanks for joining us today, here’s Arsene Wenger’s entire press conference in full:
In case you missed the team news...
Olivier Giroud will not be ready to face Burnley but Mr Wenger had better news on Francis Coquelin.
The French midfielder is recovering much more quickly from his knee injury than expected, but like Giroud will not be ready for Sunday’s game.
Aaron Ramsey, who was not ready for the Wales squad, should be ready after the international break.
Olivier Giroud won't feature against Burnley
Here's Arsene receiving his crystal vase for 20 years in charge
Wenger:
Great honour, 20 years I think it shows a total commitment from the club and faith in me.
Some good times, some less good times, but of course its a great privilege especially in my job to last for such a long time.
I’m very honoured and thankyou very much.
On Burnley
The Arsenal boss is expecting a difficult test against Burnley on Sunday.
I believe we have to go into the game with the same commitment, the same focus, and the danger from Burnley comes from the fact that they are very efficient in some areas of the game.
They are very well organised, they don’t concede many goals at all.
Arsene for England?
Arsene Wenger gave some key indications on a potential role with England.
When asked if he was interested in the job the Arsenal boss said:
My priority is to do well here this has always been my club but one day if I am free, why not, but at the moment I am focussed on my job.
And then when asked if he would decide his future at the end of the season the Frenchman replied.
Yes.
Wenger doesn't expect any presents
The Arsenal boss doesn’t expect any gifts from his players on 20 years.
Favourite memory?
People will always remember the Invincibles but the manager’s job is always to do the best with what he has.
Wenger will decide at the end of the season whether to continue
When asked whether he still intended to make a decision on his future at the end of the season Arsene answered: “Yes”
“What influences me the most is the fact that I feel I do well and I can move this team forward.”
Will 20 year reign ever be seen again?
I hope so because it’s not necessarily a job where you have to be unstable but if you look at the numbers, average life expectancy is less than 18 months so that’s not very promising.
On 20 years
I have a passion for the game and I have always a desire to improve.
If you look back the way I manage today is very different to five years ago.
I accept that it can finish tomorrow, it’s a love story you expect it to last forever but it can end any day.
On Theo Walcott's form
Wenger says he loves Walcott when he plays like he is doing.
I think Walcott has added something to his game first by putting a big effort in to his preparation and it transfers into the game.
When he plays like that I understand that the fans love him because I do as well.
Arsene doesn't want the England job, yet
Why not!
“My priority is to do well here this has always been my club but one day if I am free, why not, but at the moment I was focussed on my job.”
On 20 years
“It’s certainly unusual in the modern world.
“I think stability is very important as well in a company and the values, people who cary the values.
“For me a big club is first about values and its identity and the privilege I have to carry these values is very unusual in the modern game.”
On Ramsey
Aaron Ramsey was left out of the Wales squad but will be back soon
“Aaron Ramsey should be available after the International break.”
Giroud out
“Giroud will be out, he will not come back.
“Coquelin is looking much better but he will still not be ready.
“The ligament is not as damaged as we thought but we have to be careful.”
Arsene on who has helped him the most
Who has helped you most: “The Board, to stick by me.
“I believe this club is brave. We have shown for years that we can have a good togetherness at the club. We keep our feet on the ground and fight together.”
A present for the press
The Frenchman is now handing out notebooks to the press .
“This is only to write nice things about the club.”
On form today.
Arsene is here
Wenger has arrived and a presentation from Sir Chips Keswick starts things off, presenting a lovely vase...
Wenger:
20 years I think it shows total commitment from the club and players in me.
I’m very honoured for that, thankyou very much.
Friends with Fergie?
After 20 years, Arsene’s older brother Guy drops some knowledge on one of the biggest questions of his reign:
Arsene Wenger ‘s brother has described the long-held belief that the Arsenalmanager and Sir Alex Ferguson hated each other as “rubbish”.
The French boss’s older brother Guy was in attendance for the legendary Manchester United manager’s final game against the Gunners, a 1-1 draw at the Emirates in April 2013.
And the 71-year-old, who ran the Wenger family car parts business in Alsace for 42 years, says he shared a drink with the Premier League’s two greatest rivals after the match.
More HERE.
What can we expect?
Wenger is usually late, as regular readers of these live blogs will know, but notionally he is supposed to be along in fifteen minutes.
There will be the usual questions about team news etc today but, inevitably, some queries about the England job and his 20 years in charge, which makes the front page of newspapers in his homeland this morning.
Morning all...
Arsenal and Burnely go head-to-head on Sunday in the Premier League.
The Gunners arrive in the middle of a fine run of form. The opening day defeat at home to Liverpool now seems a distant memory with Arsene Wenger’s squad finding their feet both at home and in Europe.
Wednesday’s cruise control victory over Swiss side Basel only increased their confidence further, with Theo Walcott, Alexis Sanchez and new signing Shkodran Mustafi all putting in impressive performances.
And with the departure of Sam Allardyce as England manager, rumours have again surfaced that Wenger is wanted by the FA.
The Frenchman is due out at 9am, so expect him to faces questions on that career move and more.
Arsene Wenger's 20th anniversary as Arsenal boss is upon us.
The Frenchman's tenure has been nothing short of incredible and there is no indication he will be walking away anytime soon.
The first name on Wenger's very first team sheet in back 1996 was England stopper David Seaman, but not all of the Frenchman's players have had such a storied Gunners career.
There's been big money signings, bargain buys and home grown heroes, but what are they all up to these days?
Without further ado, here they all are, from one to two hundred and one...
1. David Seaman
Long-serving goalkeeper for club and country, helping Arsenal to two league titles.
2. Lee Dixon
Right-back for most of 90's, regarded as one of the best in Premier League era.
3. Tony Adams
Title-winning captain in 1998 after battling back from off-field issues.
4. Steve Bould
Former central defender, now assistant manager at the Emirates.
5. Nigel Winterburn
Consistent left-back who completed resolute defence for much of the 1990's.
6. Martin Keown
No-nonsense centre-half who made over 300 appearances in two spells with the club.
7. Patrick Vieira
Spent almost a decade in north London and was captain of Invincibles side.
8. Paul Merson
'The Magic Man'. Say no more.
9. David Platt
Attacking midfielder who often chipped in with key goals, despite spending the latter stages of his career with Arsenal.
10. John Hartson
Striker-turned-pundit, who recovered from cancer after hanging up his boots.
11. Ian Wright
Held club's goalscoring record before being overtaken by Thierry Henry.
12. Ray Parlour
Romford Pele - scored key goals for club including 2002 FA Cup final wonder goal.
13. Dennis Bergkamp
One of the Premier League's greatest ever imports as he offered a series of sublime moments.
14. Remi Garde
Only spent a few seasons with club. Most recognised for managerial spell in France with Lyon.
15. Steve Morrow
Scored the winner in 1993 League Cup final before breaking his arm after being dropped by Tony Adams in post-match celebrations.
16. John Lukic
Largely used as back-up goalkeeper during Wenger era after returning from Leeds.
17. Andy Linighan
Key figure in early 1990's but lost spot after emergence of Keown.
18. Paul Shaw
Dropped down the English leads after failing to make it at Arsenal before moving to the USA.
19. Gavin McGowan
Part of FA Youth Cup winning team but only made handful of first-team appearances.
20. Scott Marshall
Spent most of his playing career in the __football league. Appointed Villa caretaker manager last season.
21. Stephen Hughes
Left-footed midfielder who scored a string of impressive goals for the club.
22. Matthew Rose
Spent almost whole career at QPR after just a handful of appearances at Arsenal.
23. Lee Harper
Third-choice goalkeeper at Highbury, with one solitary league outing to his name.
24. Ian Selley
Joined Arsenal's training camp in Dubai after a career largely spent in non-league.
25. Nicolas Anelka
Wenger's first signing as Arsenal boss - went on to join Real Madrid (and a whole host of other clubs).
26. Giles Grimandi
Joined his former Monaco boss Wenger at Arsenal in 1997 and is now the Gunners' chief scout in France.
27. Marc Overmars
A Gunners favourite who was an integral part of the 1997-98 Double-winning side, but left for Barcelona for £25million in 2000.
28. Emmanuel Petit
World Cup winning midfielder, who moved to Barca as part of the Overmars deal in 2000 after three years at Highbury.
29. Luis Boa Morte
Never hit the heights at Arsenal, but managed to carve out a decent Premier League career with Fulham.
30. Christopher Wreh
Another who followed Wenger from Monaco, Wreh's Arsenal career peaked with a FA Cup semi-final winner in 1998, before his CV took in a series of loan spells and short stints across Europe.
31. Jason Crowe
A former England youth international who forged out a decent career in the lower leagues, with spells at Northampton and Leeds United the highlights.
32. Paolo Vernazza
A local lad who debuted in the League Cup before moving to Watford where his slow journey down the divisions to non-league __football ensued.
33. Alex Manninger
Fondly remembered Austrian keeper, who once recorded six clean sheets in a row deputising for David Seaman. His career is still very much alive and kicking, with the 38-year-old playing for Augsburg in the Bundesliga.
34. Alberto Mendez
Plucked from non-league German football by Wenger, Mendez made only 11 appearances before embarking on a journeyman career across Europe.
35. Jehad Muntasser
A one match wonder for the Gunners, who was the grandson of former Libyan prime minister Mahmud al-Muntasir.
36. Matthew Upson
Joined the Gunners for £2million in 1997, but could never quite establish himself. Would go on to win 21 England caps after leaving Arsenal and is currently at MK Dons.
37. Isaiah Rankin
Youth team player, who racked up 13 different clubs after he was unable to usurp the the Ian Wright and Nicolas Anelka in front of him.
38. Kaba Diawara
Failed to establish himself in the Gunners' team, returning to France after less than a year at the club.
39. Nelson Vivas
Argentinian defender who was snapped up in a £1.6million move from Boca Juniors, spending three years mainly backing up Dixon and Winterburn in north London.
40. Freddie Ljungberg
Almost as good at football as he was modeling underwear, the skillful Swede was a fan favourite under Wenger, picking up eight winner's medals. Last seen doing a stint in the Indian Super League for Mumbai City.
41. Omer Riza
Striker, who this year returned to Harlow Town, after being plucked from the non-league side by Wenger in 1998. Did his best work in Turkey in the mid-noughties.
42. David Grondin
A left-back who made a handful of Gunners appearances before playing out the majority of his career in France and Scotland.
43. Fabian Caballero
Easily one of the best ever Argetine-Spanish-Paraguayan strikers to turn out for the Gunners, despite only making three appearances. Now a politician in Asuncion.
44. Michael Black
Part of the Gunners' 1994 FA Youth Cup winning side, Black made one senior appearance before dropping down the leagues.
45. Nwankwo Kanu
Popular (so long as you don't support Sheffield United), leggy Nigerian striker, whose 1999 hat-trick against Chelsea will live long in Gunners' fans memories.
46. Oleg Luzhny
Former Soviet Union international, who spent four years filling in where needed at the back for Arsenal before being snapped up by newly-promoted Wolves in 2003.
47. Silvinho
Textbook attacking full-back from Brazil who displaced Nigel Winterburn from the Gunners team, only for Ashley Cole to soon take his place. Finished his playing career with a season at Manchester City.
48. Thierry Henry
Oh, come on. You know who he is. These days found looking dismissive on Sky Sports and helping out at Arsenal's training ground.
49. Davor Suker
Arrived at Arsenal in 1999 oozing with pedigree and was a useful contributor during his year at the club. Now runs an academy in Croatia.
50. Stefan Malz
German midfielder who turned out eight times for the Gunners in a two-year spell, which was the only time he ventured out of Germany during his career. Last spotted managing second division women's side Niederkirchen.
51. Ashley Cole
Became one of the Premier League's best left-backs after coming up through the ranks at Arsenal, only to leave for Chelsea in acrimonious circumstances. Recently saw his contract with Roma terminated a year earlier.
52. Tommy Black
The Academy midfielder made only two senior appearances before establishing himself at Crystal Palace. Ended his playing dats at Debden Sports Club, who play in the Essex Olympian football League.
53. Rhys Weston
Another local lad, who became a Welsh international after carving out a decent spell at Cardiff City. Would go on to turn out in Norway, Iceland and Malaysia before signing for AFC Wimbledon in 2013.
54. Jermaine Pennant
55. Graham Barrett
Irish forward who made two appearances for Arsenal in ther Premier League between 1998 and 2003 before moving to Coventry City.
56. Julian Gray
Came through Arsenal's academy but made didn;t make the grade. Sold to Crystal Palace for £500,000 in 2000.
57. Brian McGovern
Made one appearance under Wenger, the Irish defender eventually headed back home to play for clubs like Shamrock Rovers and Bray Wanderers
58. Lauren
Strongest man in the Invincibles team and penalty-taker-extraordinaire, the powerful right back never quite got the credit he deserved outside of north London. Lauren won the league twice and FA Cup three times at Arsenal.
59. Robert Pires
Arguably the plyer who best defined the French revolution at Arsenal. PFA and FWA player of the year in the double-winning season of 2001/02, Pires was technically superb and had an excellent scoring record against Tottenham.
60. Sylvain Wiltord
A valuable squad member in the peak Wenger years, he'll always be remembered for scoring the goal against Man United at Old Trafford that won the league in 2001/02.
61. Lee Canoville
His only first team appearance came in a 2-1 defeat by Ipswich at Highbury in the 2000 League Cup.
62. Stuart Taylor
Back-up to the back-ups, Taylor was the ultimate reserve goalkeeper, who continued his sitting-on-the-bench career at various clubs after leaving Arsenal in 2005.
63. Moritz Volz
German midfielder with a high work rate but not enough talent. Enjoyed a decent spell at Fulham after leaving north London.
64. Igors Stepanovs
In the category of Sebastien Squilacci and Mikael Silvestre. The Latvian defender won the league and FA Cup at Arsenal, but didn't play an important role in either.
65. Tomas Danilevicius
In 2000, Danilevicius played for four differnet clubs, one of which was Arsenal. The Lithuanian striker took the phrase 'journeyman' to new levels.
66. Edu
Much loved by Arsenal fans, Edu balanced technique with grit and was a valuable squad member during his four-year spell at Arsenal, during which time he won the league twice and FA Cup three times.
67. Sol Campbell
Supremely talented centre-half and the north London derby's pantomime villain. Campbell joined Arsenal on a free from Tottenham and is argubaly the last truly world class defender Wenger ever signed.
68. Giovanni van Bronckhorst
The Dutch defender spent just three seasons at Arsenal before moving to Barcelona, but was alway highly rated at Highbury.
69. Francis Jeffers
The infamous 'fox-in-the-box' who never quite worked out as planned. Wenger didn't buy another English striker for quite some time.
70. Junichi Inamoto
Arrived at Arsenal in time for the double winning season of 2001/02 but didn't play enough games to win a medal. Left that summer.
71. Richard Wright
When Arsenal signed him from Ipswich Town he was touted as a future England No.1. He had one season with the Gunners, in which he won the double, but was sold straight afterwards.
72. John Halls
His debut was against Manchester United in the 2001 League Cup. He was sent off following two bookings.
73. Carlin Itonga
Born in DR Congo but raised in England, Itonga (like Halls) made his debut against United in 2001.
74. Rohan Ricketts
Another to make his debut against United in the 2001 League Cup, Ricketts is best known in north London for being one of the few footballers to play for both Arsenal and Tottenham.
75. Stathis Tavlaridis
Arsenal signed him from Iraklis for £1m in 2001 but he failed to make the grade. The Greek centre-back moved to Lille in 2003.
76. Jeremie Aliadiere
French striker who signed as a 16-year-old and was likened to Thierry Henry - but would depart after just one goal in 29 league games.
77. Sebastian Svard
A defensive midfielder who made his debut in the League Cup against Grimsby in 2001, but made only two more appearances - both in cup competitions.
78. Juan
A diminutive Brazilian left-back, he couldn’t quite cut the mustard after arriving from Sao Paulo.
79. Gilberto Silva
The World Cup-winning Brazilian spent six years with the Gunners, anchoring the Invincibles midfield alongside Vieira.
80. Kolo Toure
The Ivorian defender impressed Wenger while on trial before signing from ASEC Mimosas for just £150k in 2002 - Seven years later, having been an Invincible and club captain, he joined Manchester City for £16million.
81. Pascal Cygan
Much-maligned French defender who, looking back, wasn’t all that bad.
82. Ryan Garry
Former defender who made just one league appearance in six years before joining Bournemouth in 2007. Now under-13s coach at the Gunners academy.
83. Rami Shaaban
A Swedish keeper who was plagued by injuries during his time at Highbury.
84. David Bentley
From the ‘English Dennis Bergkamp’ to the ‘new David Beckham’, he never made his mark at Arsenal; went on to cost north London rivals Tottenham £15million in 2008 and has since retired after falling out of love with the game.
85. Justin Hoyte
Quick, athletic fullback who made 68 Premier League appearances for the club before joining Middlesbrough for £3million in 2008.
86. Jens Lehmann
Famed for his rivalry with Oliver Kahn, the eccentric German saved Juan Roman Riquelme’s penalty to secure a place in the 2006 Champions League final - where he was subsequently sent off for an early foul on Ludovic Giuly.
87. Graham Stack
Irish keeper who made his debut in a League Cup match against Rotherham and scored in a penalty shoot-out win; he enjoyed a number of loan spells throughout the Football League and is now captain of Barnet.
88. John Spicer
The Romford-born midfielder made just one League Cup appearance for the club.
89. Jerome Thomas
Tricky winger who joined from Luton as a schoolboy, Thomas failed to make a Premier League appearance for the side before leaving in January 2004 to join Charlton in a £1million move.
90. Quincy Owusu-Adeyie
Joined the Gunners academy in 2002 from Ajax, the Amsterdam born winger was lightning quick but regularly infuriated with his final ball.
91. Gael Clichy
Unheralded arrival from Cannes, he played his part in the Invincibles success as back-up to Ashley Cole, making a total 264 appearances for the club before joining Manchester City
92. Cesc Fabregas
Spanish playmaker poached from Barcelona, he became captain and a European Championship and World Cup winner - before leaving for his boyhood club, only to return to England…with Chelsea.
93. Ryan Smith
Left-footed winger last seen playing in Greece for Skoda Xanthi.
94. Frankie Simek
Played a single match for the club, in the League Cup win over Wolves in December 2003.
95. Olafur-Ingi Skulason
Icelandic international midfielder who can now been seen plying his trade in Turkey with Genclerbirligi.
96. Michal Papadopulos
Striker who has six caps for the Czech Republic - the last of which was in 2011.
97. Jose Antonio Reyes
Spanish forward who arrived from Sevilla in 2004 for £17million but despite glimpses of unquestionable quality never really settled enough to set north London alight; still going strong back in Seville.
98. Robin van Persie
The Dutch forward arrived for a cut-price £3million from Feyenoord with questions over a volatile nature but not of his talent; left after 132 goals to join Man United in a £24million deal in 2012, and is the Netherlands all-time record goalscorer.
99. Mathieu Flamini
Tough-tackling French midfielder who signed (for free) from Marseille, left (for free) to AC Milan and then returned to the Emirates. Now at Crystal Palace.
100. Sebastian Larsson
Swedish ball-player who began as a left-back but has carved out a niche for himself as a right-sided midfielder at both Birmingham and Sunderland.
101. Danny Karbassiyoon
Youth team prospect who never made it, but now scouts for Arsenal in north America.
102. Johan Djourou
Swiss international who was sold after failing to cut errors out of his game.
103. Manuel Almunia
Spanish stopper who never quite convinced the fans despite some good performances.
104. Arturo Lupoli
Diminutive striker who didn't live up to his reputation at senior level.
105. Philippe Senderos
One of a number of bumbling centre-backs to stick around for a few seasons.
106. Patrick Cregg
Irish youth team prospect who now plays for Shamrock Rovers.
107. Emmanuel Eboue
A cult figure among fans for his personality and attacking raids from right-back.
108. Alexander Hleb
The ultimate Wenger player: slight, technically gifted and perhaps a little too easily dominated.
109. Alex Song
All-action midfielder who broke supporters' hearts by jumping ship to Barcelona.
110. Fabrice Muamba
Moved to Bolton before he was forced into premature retirement due to health issues.
111. Anthony Stokes
One League Cup appearance for the Gunners and now playing for Celtic.
112. Nicklas Bendtner
The world's greatest player... but only in his own mind.
113. Kerrea Gilbert
Willesden-born defender who has since tumbled down the divisions.
114. Abou Diaby
When fit, a brilliantly versatile presence. But tormented by injuries for years.
115. Emmanuel Adebayor
The fans loved him for his goals but his post-Arsenal career has made him a pariah.
116. Tomas Rosicky
'Little Mozart' has had some golden moments in the red shirt, but perhaps could have done more.
117. Theo Walcott
Glorious talent but still may feel he hasn't quite hit the heights on a regular basis.
118. Julio Baptista
Forceful Brazilian attacker who didn't quite fit in to Wenger's system.
119. William Gallas
Moved to north London as part of the Ashley Cole deal and became a reliable performer.
120. Matthew Connolly
Defender who now plays for Cardiff after a length spell with QPR.
121. Denilson
Cultured passing midfielder who looked like the next big thing but then faded.
122. Mark Randall
One of Arsenal's big hopes, he never lived up to the billing.
123. Armand Traore
Technically gifted left-back, he proved a touch lightweight to stake a real claim
124. Mart Poom
Signed as a back-up goalkeeper and was never really called upon
125. Bacary Sagna
A brilliant Wenger signing: plucked from Auxerre and went on to be a Premier League regular.
126. Eduardo da Silva
Deadly finisher whose career went off course after that horror leg break.
127. Lassana Diarra
The French midfielder never quite carved out a niche for himself at the Emirates.
128. Lukasz Fabianski
Polish goalkeeper whose errors earned him the nickname 'FlappyHandski'.
129. Fran Merida
Expected to become a star after youth team exploits but progress stalled.
130. Nacer Barazite
Dutch youth international who is now playing for Utrecht in his homeland.
131. Kieran Gibbs
Cultured left-back who is now a key part of the England squad.
132. Henri Lansbury
The prodigiously talented midfielder was tipped for big things... but he didn't quite make it for Arsenal.
133. Aaron Ramsey
All-action Welsh midfielder who has kicked on brilliantly after a bad injury.
134. Samir Nasri
Jumped ship to Manchester City just when he was beginning to show his ability.
135. Carlos Vela
The king of scooped finishes in League Cup games, now playing for David Moyes at Real Sociedad.
136. Jack Wilshere
Tenacious, talented schemer who is hoping to put fitness troubles behind him. On loan at Bournemouth.
137. Francis Coquelin
Looked to be heading the way of other untapped talents, but made a sensational return to become a key man.
138. Gavin Hoyte
London-born defender who now plies his trade at Barnet.
139. Jay Simpson
Had loan spells at Millwall, West Brom and QPR before joining Hull in 2010.
140. Mikael Silvestre
A weird signing from Manchester United, whose arrival did not impress the fans.
141. Amaury Bischoff
A shock addition in 2008, he made a grand total of one league appearance for the club.
142. Rui Fonte
Portuguese forward who is now on loan at Braga from Benfica.
143. Paul Rodgers
Not the singer. Crucially, not the singer.
144. Andrei Arshavin
Mercurial meerkat lookalike who started with a bang but couldn't keep it up.
145. Vito Mannone
Taciturn stopper who had to wait ages for a first-team chance and subsequently flopped.
146. Thomas Vermaelen
Strong in the air, comfortable on the ball, but prone to the odd costly brainmelt.
147. Gilles Sunu
The pacy forward is now back in France, where he plays for Angers.
148. Wojciech Szczesny
Confident, cigarette-loving goalkeeper who paid the price for one too many high-profile mistakes.
149. Sanchez Watt
Perennial Emirates Cup superstar but never managed to make a breakthrough.
150. Craig Eastmond
See above. Plays for Sutton United these days.
151. Kyle Bartley
Giant centre-back who had loan spells at Sheffield United and Rangers before joining Swansea.
152. Thomas Cruise
Never quite made it as a Top Gunner. Blame the wingman.
153. Marouane Chamakh
His hair struck fear in the hearts of defenders, but the goals just didn't flow.
154. Laurent Koscielny
Plucked from French club Lorient (hi, Arsene!), he has since become a top-class defender.
155. Sebastien Squillaci
Bench fodder supreme, the veteran didn't make a lasting impression at Arsenal.
156. Jay Emmanuel-Thomas
Another academy product, the skilful JET shone at Bristol City and joined QPR in the summer.
157. Ignasi Miquel
Called into the first team to cover for injuries in 2011/12, he dropped down the pecking list and was moved on.
158. Conor Henderson
Elegant midfielder who won the Youth Cup but couldn't manage to make the step up.
159. Emmanuel Frimpong
Introduced the word 'dench' into the football lexicon, for which we'll forever be thankful.
160. Gervinho
Twisty, bewitching dribbler who blew hot and cold before Wenger finally lost patience.
161. Carl Jenkinson
A cult figure in waiting, the hard-working full-back is currently on loan at West Ham
162. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Another former Southampton prodigy, The Ox is a firm fan favourite at the Emirates.
163. Mikel Arteta
After impressing as a playmaker at Everton, the Spaniard was converted into a holding midfielder.
164. Yossi Benayoun
Arsenal's Yossi Benayoun celebrates after he scores the opening goal
Completed his hat-trick of top clubs after spells with Liverpool and Chelsea... but didn't impress.
165. Per Mertesacker
Arsenal's very own BFG, Mertesacker overcame a shaky start and is now one of Wenger's key men.
166. Andre Santos
A defender in name only, the Brazilian spent much of his time ambling around and misplacing passes.
167. Chuks Aneke
The England youth international now plays in Belgium with Zulte Waregem.
168. Ryo Miyaichi
Diminutive schemer who made fans drool, but didn't have the physicality to make it in the Premier League.
169. Oguzhan Ozyakup
Left for Besiktas in 2012 and has since become a full Turkish international.
170. Park Chu-Young
The fleet-footed forward didn't get much of a look in after joining from Monaco.
171. Daniel Boateng
Came through the ranks in north London but now pays for Swedish side Sodertalje.
172. Nico Yennaris
His versatility didn't convince Wenger that he could make an impact at first-team level.
173. Santi Cazorla
Who could fail to love his two-footedness, zippy passing and permanent grin?
174. Olivier Giroud
Much maligned by a section of the support, but his goal record remains impressive.
175. Lukas Podolski
Deadly with that wand of a left foot but ultimately didn't quite fit Arsenal's way.
176. Martin Angha
Swiss centre-back who cameoed against Coventry in the League Cup and Olympiacos in the Champions League in 2012. Now at 1860 Munich.
177. Serge Gnabry
Promising winger who impressed at the start of last season before being struck down with injury. Is currently on a season-long loan at West Brom.
178. Damien Martinez
Young Argentinian goalkeeper who loves a loan spell. Currently at Wolves for the season.
179. Thomas Eisfeld
Snapped up from Dortmund in 2012, but only made it as far as League Cup and pre-season friendly appearances before leaving for Fulham in 2014. Now at Bochum.
180. Jernade Meade
Made his debut in the bonkers 7-5 League Cup win over Reading in 2012, but left at the end of that season. Spend a year at Swansea and is now in playing in the Spartan South Midlands Football League for Hadley.
181. Nacho Monreal
Signed from Malaga in 2013, the Spain defender has established himself as a regular under Wenger.
182. Yaya Sanogo
An uber-Wenger signing, the French Under-21 international was shipped out on loan to Ajax and Charlton after failing to break into the Gunners' first-team.
183. Mesut Ozil
Wenger splashed the cash on the Germany international on the final day of the 2013 summer transfer window, making him Arsenal's record signing at £42.5million.
184. Chuba Akpom
England youth international enjoyed an impressive loan spell at Hull City.
185. Kristoffer Olsson
Made his debut in the League Cup clash against West brom in 2013. Technically impressive but never quite good enough for Arsenal. Now plays for FC Midtjylland.
186. Hector Bellerin
Signed from Barcelona's academy along with Jon Toral, Hector Bellerin broke into Arsenal's first team in the 2014/15 season after an injury to Mathieu Debuchy. He hasn't looked back since.
187. Isaac Hayden
Isaac Hayden has made two appearances for Arsenal in the League Cup over the last two seasons. He's currently on loan at Hull.
188. Gedion Zelalem
On loan at Rangers this season, the Ethiopian-born midfielder is known for his great technique and passing. Likely to break into the first team at some point, needs to bulk up a bit first.
189. Kim Kallstrom
The Swedish midfielder signed for Arsenal in January 2014 but spent the next three months injured. Helped Arsenal win the FA Cup that season.
190. Joel Campbell
Signed for Arsenal for £1m, he went on numerous loans in a bid to earn a work permit. Currently battling for a place in the first team, looks likely his future lies elsewhere.
191. Calum Chambers
Signed from Southampton in the summer of 2014, Chambers can play either right-back or centre-back. He had a brilliant start to life at Arsenal, which led to an almost immediate England call-up, before being loaned to Middlesbrough.
192. Mathieu Debuchy
The France international was brought in to replace Bacary Sagna but had terrible luck with injuries in his first season. Currently struggling to regain his place off of Hector Bellerin.
193. Alexis Sanchez
Red hot: The Chile star hit the ground running at Arsenal
The Chile star signed for Arsenal from Barcelona and was the Gunners' top scorer in his first season at the club. Considered by many to be the club's current best player.
194. Danny Welbeck
The England forward joined on deadline day from Manchester United in the summer of 2014. A crowd favourite who has struggled with injuries.
195. David Opsina
The Colombia international was signed after impressing at the 2014 World Cup. Became Arsenal No.1 in his first season before Arsenal signed Petr Cech, who is now first choice keeper.
196. Ainsley Maitland-Niles
A tall, fast, powerful winger who has come through the academy at Arsenal. Maitland-Niles impressed on loan at Ipswich.
197. Stefan O'Connor
The young centre-back joined Arsenal's academy as a 13-year-old and made his debut in 2014, coming on as a late substitute as the Gunners beat Galatasaray 4-1 in the Champions League.
198. Gabriel
Signed from Villarreal in January 2015, the Brazilian centre-back is slowly proving his worth at Arsenal. Fast, strong and a great tackler, Gabriel is starting to adapt to English football.
199. Petr Cech
Chelsea legend Petr Cech signed for Arsenal after losing his place at Stamford Bridge to Thibaut Cortois. In his first game for the Gunners - the 2015 Community Shield - he kept a clean sheet as they beat his old side 1-0.
200. Alex Iwobi
The Nigerian is already a full Nigerian international after he made his debut for the Super Eagles when he came off the bench against the Democratic Republic of Congo earlier this month.
201. Glen Kamara
A defensive midfielder who has represented Finland at youth level, Kamara is adapt both at protecting the backline and surging forward.
202. Ismael Bennacer
A France international at youth level, Bennacer is a skillful attacking midfielder.
203. Krystian Bielik
The Polish youth international was bought by Wenger in January 2015 for a reported £2.7million. The 17-year-old has great size for his age and is tipped to be a top future midfield enforcer.
204. Jeff Reine-Adelaide
Jeff Reine Adelaide made his debut in 2016
Reine-Adelaide came through the ranks at Lens - the academy that also produced players such as Geoffrey Kondogbia and Raphael Varane - but never played for their first team. He joined Arsenal in the summer of 2015 and made his debut against Sunderland in the FA Cup in January 2016.
205. Mohamed Elneny
The Egyptian moved to the Emirates from Basel in January 2016 and impressed towards the end of his opening season. He made his debut against Burnley in the FA Cup and scored his first goal against Barcelona.
206. Rob Holding
Holding started the 2016/17 season in the Arsenal side
Holding came through the ranks at Bolton and after just one season in the first-team was picked up by Arsene Wenger. A defensive crisis forced Wenger to throw him straight in at Liverpool on the opening day of the 2016/17 season.
207. Granit Xhaka
Like Holding, Xhaka made his debut in the defeat to Liverpool in August 2016. The Swiss midfielder arrived in a £35m deal from Borussia Monchengladbach earlier in the summer.
208. Shkodran Mustafi
Mustafi has proved a hit
Arsene Wenger swooped for the former Everton defender to solve his side's defensive problems. The German international arrived from Valencia for £35m and has already been compared to Manchester United icon Nemanja Vidic.
209. Lucas Perez
With the Gunners short of forward options, Wenger pipped Everton to land Lucas Perez from Deportivo. The Spaniard made his debut against Southampton in September 2016 and scored his first goals for the club against Nottingham Forest the same month.
