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Chelsea and Arsenal are among two of the biggest London-based clubs in the Premier League. The two teams have achieved a lot in the league and are often seen as fierce London rivals.
Both clubs have a combined 18 top-flight English League titles between them, with Chelsea winning five and Arsenal 13. They are also some of the most attractive London-based clubs for players.
Over the years, both the Blues and the Gunners have signed some of the best players in the league and also in world football.
The two clubs have also enjoyed a healthy relationship in the transfer market, as a couple of players have been privileged to play for both teams.
As such, this article will take a look at some of the best players to represent both Chelsea and Arsenal in recent years.
#4 Olivier Giroud
The Frenchman is regarded as one of the best forwards in European football. He is also among the few players privileged to play for both Chelsea and Arsenal.
Olivier Giroud shared a combined total of nine years playing for both London clubs in the Premier League. He also won a total of nine trophies - six at Arsenal and three with Chelsea.
The French striker joined Arsenal in 2012 for a fee in the region of £9.6 million, where he spent five-and-a-half seasons with the Gunners.
Giroud scored a total of 105 goals and registered 41 assists in 253 games during his time at Arsenal. He also helped the North London club win three FA Cup trophies and three FA Community Shield titles.
He made a surprise move to London rivals Chelsea in January 2018 for a fee in the region of £18 million. This allowed him to join the list of top players to represent both clubs.
Giroud went on to spend three-and-a-half seasons with the Blues, scoring a combined total of 39 goals and providing 14 assists. He also won three major trophies, including the prestigious UEFA Champions League.
#3 Nicolas Anelka
Another high-profile player to represent both Arsenal and Chelsea in recent years is veteran French forward Nicolas Anelka.
The retired striker had an enviable playing career which saw him represent some of the best clubs in Europe. Anelka played for the likes of PSG, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Juventus, to mention a few.
He joined Arsenal in the summer of 1997 for a fee in the region of £500,000. The French forward spent two seasons with the Gunners, where he won three titles and was also voted the PFA Young Player of the Season.
Anelka signed for Arsenal's London rivals Chelsea eight years later from Bolton in January 2008 for a fee in the region of £15 million.
The Frenchman scored a total of 59 goals and registered 38 assists in 184 games for the Blues. He also won the Golden Boot award during the 2008-09 season where he scored 19 goals.
#2 Cesc Fabregas
Another top player who has had the privilege to represent both Chelsea and Arsenal is highly-rated Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas.
The 35-year-old player is regarded as one of Europe's finest playmakers. His immense talents were identified early by Arsenal as the Gunners signed him at the tender age of 16 from Barcelona in 2003.
Fabregas will then go on to spend eight impactful seasons with the Gunners, where he will go on to become the club's captain.
He made a combined total of 304 appearances for the North London club, scoring 57 goals and providing 95 assits. He won two trophies during his time at the Emirates Stadium.
Fabregas then signed for Chelsea from Barcelona in 2014, three years after leaving the Gunners. The transfer was in the region of €33 million.
The Spaniard went on to have an impactful four-and-a-half seasons with the Blues, winning five trophies which included two league titles.
Fabregas made a combined total of 198 appearances, scoring 22 goals and providing 57 assists for his Blues teammates.
#1 Ashley Cole
The English defender is regarded as one of the best left-backs of all time and was also privileged to represent both Chelsea and Arsenal.
Ashley Cole began his senior club career with the Gunners. He made his debut at the age of 18 against Middlesbrough during a League Cup game in November 1999.
He went on to spend seven seasons at Arsenal, where he made 226 appearances, scoring eight goals and providing 23 assists. Cole also won seven trophies with the Gunners, which included two league titles.
The Englishman sealed a controversial move to London rivals Chelsea in the summer of 2006. The Blues paid a sum of £5 million with defender William Gallas moving over to the Gunners.
Cole went on to spend eight good seasons with Chelsea as he became an integral part of the team during his time with them.
He won a combined total of nine trophies with the West London club, which included four FA Cup titles. He was also part of the Blues team that won the club's first ever Champions League title in 2012.
Cole eventually left the club in 2014, making a combined total of 336 appearances, scoring seven goals and providing 38 assists.
