Top signings by Arsène Wenger

Thierry Henry

In: £11 million Out: £16 million

The player, who was reportedly unhappy in Italy, was shown the escape hatch by Wenger. Picked up from Juventus after just one season, Henry was back with Wenger after they had worked together at Monaco. Wenger was always of the opinion that Henry was better suited to be a striker, but played him on the wing simply because his pace and game sense was better employed on the flank as opposed to a central role.

Henry was a replacement for the outgoing Anelka, and he was now in a central rol – a clear contrast to Wenger’s belief a few years back. Initially he struggled, admitting he had to ‘be re-taught everything about the art of striking.’ After the first lean patch, he went on to finish the season with 26 goals in 47 games in all competitions.

Henry quickly transformed into the team mascot, ripping teams apart with his prolific scoring and sublime touches. From dead ball situations to back heels, he left keepers pawing the air. His tally at Arsenal was 228 goals in 369 appearances, pushing him up to third in the list of all-time Premier League goal-scorers, pipped only by Alan Shearer and Andy Cole.

He is also the only player ever to have been awarded the FWA Footballer of the Year three times (2003, 2004, and 2006). He was the top scorer in the league for four seasons, (2002, 2004, 2005, and 2006) and in 2006 he became the first player ever to net over 20 goals in the English Premier League for 5 consecutive seasons (2002 to 2006).

In 2006, Henry declared that he loved the club and would stay at Arsenal for the rest of his life, and Arsenal reportedly turned down multiple bids of over £50 million, which would have pipped the transfer fee paid for Zinedine Zidane, which stood at £47 million.

In 2007, against the proverbial run of play, Henry was bought by Barcelona for £16 million. Henry has since been extremely vocal about his love for his former club, even returning on loan in the MLS off-season and bagging two winners against Sunderland and Leeds United. His goals are still the talk of the internet, like the solo winner against Real Madrid and the wonder goal against Manchester United. In 2011, Arsenal unveiled a bronze trophy of the player as a tribute to his contribution to the club. Even though his later years with Arsenal were marred by death stares and injuries, Henry never stopped being the heartbeat of the Arsenal fan. Every now and then, when we spot Henry playing a spectator in an Arsenal fixture, we can only sigh and hope for more of him. Certainly the player that defined most of Arsenal’s last decade, and probably Wenger’s best buy.

A few honorable mentions include Patrick Vieira, Sol Campbell, Gilberto Silva and Robert Pires.