The 5 worst signings in Arsenal's history

#3 Francis Jeffers

Francis Jeffers flopped at Arsenal despite Arsene Wenger preferring to sign him over Ruud Van Nistelrooy

Once considered one of the brightest young prospects in the English game, striker Francis Jeffers joined Arsenal from Everton in the summer of 2001 for a fee of £8m, and Arsene Wenger infamously described him as his “fox in the box”, essentially hoping he’d become the club’s latest goal-poacher. Sadly, injuries curtailed his time at Highbury and he never lived up to his potential.

His first season at Arsenal saw him make just 10 appearances in all competitions, scoring just 2 goals, as the form of fellow strikers Thierry Henry and Sylvain Wiltord meant he just couldn’t force his way into the first team. 2002/03 saw him fare slightly better – he made 28 appearances, scored 6 goals and made his England debut – but only started in the Premier League twice and again suffered from injuries.

2003/04 saw him loaned back to Everton, but his time there was hardly more successful and upon returning to Arsenal, he was immediately sold to Charlton Athletic for just £2.6m – meaning the Gunners made a hefty loss on him.

To make matters worse, it was also revealed in 2002 that Wenger had chosen to sign Jeffers over Ruud Van Nistelrooy – who went on to massive success at Manchester United instead.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

Know More

Edited by Arvind Sriram