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The past decade has been a turbulent period for Arsenal and was headlined by the departure of long-serving head coach Arsene Wenger.
The Gunners won a string of FA Cups in this period but have largely failed to challenge for any major title, including the Premier League and the Champions League. In fact, the London giants are currently languishing outside the top six and could even fail to secure a place in any of the European competitions next season.
Having said that, the last decade has still witnessed the arrival of some excellent footballers at the Emirates. In this article, we pick out five of the best players signed by Arsenal over the past ten years.
Honourable mentions: Santi Cazorla, Nacho Monreal and current manager Mikel Arteta
#5 Alexis Sanchez
Alexis Sanchez made 166 appearances for Arsenal in all competitions during his three-and-a-half-year tenure at the London club, during which he contributed 80 goals and 45 assists.
While most Arsenal fans were left dismayed when he left for Manchester United, his form since leaving the club has been nowhere near the standards of his days at the Emirates.
Such has been his fall from grace that the Chilean has scored just six goals since his disastrous move to the Red Devils two-and-a-half years ago.
To compound his misery, Sanchez hasn't even managed to cross the 1,000-minute mark at his loan club, Inter Milan, this season.
This is in stark contrast to the man who was the only player besides Robin van Persie to score 30 goals in a single season for the Gunners in the last decade.
During his time at Arsenal, Sanchez was a figurehead for the team, with his hard work and graft off the ball matching his talent and creativity on it.
#4 Laurent Koscielny
Laurent Koscielny, who jettisoned himself out of Arsenal at the start of this season, is another disgruntled player who makes it to this list.
The Frenchman made over 350 appearances for the Gunners in all competitions and lifted a trio of FA Cups during his lengthy nine-year spell at the Emirates.
Having joined for a relatively cheap fee- reported to be £10 million- from FC Lorient, he was one of the greatest bargain buys by Arsene Wenger during the last decade.
While his manner of departure from London was unceremonious, the centre-back was Arsenal's best defender and left a gaping hole in their back-line this season.
The 34-year-old enjoyed some great moments in an Arsenal shirt during his nine-year stay and won three FA Cup titles under compatriot Wenger.
Koscielny would score the winner against West Bromwich Albion in the final day of the 2011-12 season to secure Champions League qualification. He repeated the trick against Newcastle United a year later and once again helped the Gunners to a spot in the premier European competition.
#3 Olivier Giroud
Olivier Giroud had his fair share of critics after he moved to Arsenal from Montpellier HSC for a reported amount of €12.4 million.
While he could find the back of the net regularly, passing the 15-goal mark in each of his five full seasons at the Emirates, the Frenchman was never totally appreciated by fans. He scored 105 goals and provided 41 assists in 253 appearances for the club in all competitions.
Giroud's link-up play and ability to create space for his teammates with his off-the-ball movement also meant he perfectly fit Arsene Wenger's brand of football.
Due to his teamwork and work rate off the ball, however, many critics and pundits blew him off as a striker who just didn't score enough to be labelled an "elite" player.
#2 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who joined Arsenal in January 2018 for a reported £56 million, has been a clear transfer success.
The skipper is the reason why the Gunners are in a position to fight for a European spot this season as he has contributed to 42.5% of the club’s total goal tally in the present league campaign.
Only Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has a better goals-per-game ratio (0.68) than the Gabon international (0.65) in the Premier League era.
While two consecutive defeats have dampened the mood around Arsenal since the restart, Aubameyang still finds himself within a distance of winning a second Premier League Golden Boot.
There has been much speculation about the striker's future at the Emirates, with his contract set to expire in 2021. It remains to be seen if Arsenal will sell him for a fraction of his worth this summer or whether they will let him leave on a free transfer next year.
#1 Hector Bellerin
Hector Bellerin's signing from FC Barcelona might not have been completed if it wasn't for Arsene Wenger, who promised him a pathway to first-team football.
Having signed the Spaniard for a measly sum of just €500,000, Arsenal have been paid back in full and more as the defender stands out as one of the better full-backs in the Premier League.
The 25-year-old has made 197 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners, notching up eight goals and 25 assists during that period.
An explosive full-back by trade, Bellerin made waves by beating speedster Theo Walcott's 40-metre sprint record by 1/100th of a second at the start of the 2014-15 season.
Having been named as the vice-captain of the team since Mikel Arteta's arrival, the pacey defender is clearly the bargain signing of the decade for Arsenal.
