Top signings by Arsène Wenger

Robin Van Persie

In: £2.75 million Out: £24 million

Picked up from Feyenoord at the age of 21, Wenger got a bargain after he paid just over half the asking price of £ 5 million. The Frenchman planned to convert RvP into a central striker rather than a winger, which he had achieved with Thierry Henry in the past. He spent some time on the bench, but he quickly blossomed in to a lethal striker with a venomous left foot. In spite of his injuries which pegged him down often, he was able to play 277 games for the club, scoring 132 times in all competitions.

After Fabregas left for Barcelona, van Persie wore the captain’s armband, and the promotion seemed to add to his valour. In that season, 2011-12, van Persie single-handedly dragged Arsenal up to fourth position in the English Premier League – the last spot for the UEFA Champions League. He scored a record 30 goals in 38 Premier League games, becoming the top scorer in the league and the 8^th all-time top scorer for Arsenal with 132 goals.

He left for greener pastures and signed with arch-rivals Manchester United for an initial £22.5 million, with an additional £1.5 million in variables. He was one of the most important players Arsenal have seen in the last decade or so simply because of his ability to lead, to perform and take the club up a notch.