There have been some very good articles recently on the top signings made by Arsene Wenger since his arrival at Arsenal. There have been ordinary, good and exceptional signings in the past 10 years. But who do YOU think is his best signing? There have certainly been some good ones, but these are my top five:

5: Kolo Toure (2002): Signed from Ivory Coast club ASEC Mimosas for only £150, 000. He was a total unknown but his boundless energy quickly captured the Arsenal fans. At first I wondered if he was a big mistake. I quickly christened Toure 'The Clown'. For a while, the clown lived up to his name. Listed as a utility man, his versatility prevented him from holding down a regular first-team spot. Most of the time, he would be running around the field like a headless chicken. Energy? Yes. Directions. No.

Fortunately for the Ivorian, fate intervened and injuries to Sol Campbell and the aging Martin Keown made him an automatic choice at centre-back. Although forced into the position, it proved one of Wenger's master strokes. Toure’s contribution in Arsenal’s unbeaten season was immense; he missed only one league game. Slowly, 'The Clown' was becoming 'The Captain'. His first European goal - the last ever at Highbury - proved to be crucial, taking the club to their first European Cup final. The opportunity to improve his skills at the World Cup in Germany increased his standing. He is now considered one of Europe’s best central defenders.

'Toure’s contribution in Arsenal’s unbeaten season was immense; he missed only one league game. Slowly, 'The Clown' was becoming 'The Captain'


4: Marc Overmars (1997-2000): What he lacked in height, he made up for with his ferocious pace. Marc was like speedy Gonzales, his legs moving so quickly until they looked like a blur. He could be ruthlessly direct on the counter-attack - collecting the ball at space and charging at the heart of the opposition defence.

He demonstrated his talent by scoring the pivotal goal in Arsenal’s double winning season in 1997/98 against Manchester United at Old Trafford. It was the only goal of the game, and along with the opening goal of that year’s FA Cup Final, he scored 34 times for Arsenal. A phenomenon return for a winger!

After two years at Highbury, he was sold to Barcelona for £25m in the summer of 2000, to this day a record transfer fee for a Dutch footballer. Overmars won 86 caps for Holland in total and was bought at a modest price of £7m from Ajax in June 1997. He retired after Euro 2004 when Holland failed to win the tournament.

3: Cesc Fabregas (2003-): The skilful Spaniard has been a revelation for Arsenal since Wenger plucked him from Barcelona on a free transfer. He was the designated replacement for Patrick Vieira after the former captain left. It would have been a formidable task for anyone but Cesc made it look easy.

When the two came face-to-face in the Champions League quarter-final in March 2006, the Catalan left his former midfield partner shell-shocked with a dominant performance. If Vieira was surprised by Cesc’s maturity, Wenger was not. He had already tipped the youngster to be the best in his position by the age of 20, and in truth, Fabregas began breaking records the moment he walked through the marbled halls of Highbury. In addition, a first cap for Spain in the same year of 2006 made him the youngest Spain national player in 80 years.

This season Cesc has almost single-handedly compensated for the loss of Thierry Henry. While spraying crosses all over the field, he has also contributed 11 goals in all competitions. He has restored a swagger to the team and Arsenal are sitting comfortably at the top of the table. The only reason Cesc is not No.1 on this list is because he still has to win the titles and cups to prove his capabilities.

2: Patrick Vieira (1996-2005): Born in Senegal but played as a Frenchman, Vieira was bought by Wenger from AC Milan for only £3.5m in August 1996. Milan’s loss was Arsenal’s huge gain and officials from the Italian club later stated that letting the midfielder go was the biggest mistake they had ever made.

Patrick was Wenger’s first signing at the club and there were a few raised eyebrows at his arrival. Fans need not have worried, though. Vieira quickly established himself and for nine long years he was the heartbeat of Wenger’s Arsenal team. Eventually, he would even captain the side to a historical unbeaten run in a season,  winning the double along the way.

As a central midfielder he had it all. He was strong and lightning quick for a big man. Many of Arsenal’s famed counter-attacks went through him, his ability to win possession and quickly release another player was critical to the flow of the Gunner's game. Above all, he was a great leader. Sadly, Vieira joined Juventus last year for £13.7m and it was with a heavy heart that Arsenal fans let him go.

1: Thierry Henry (1999 - 2006): Who else but the King? Three times Football Writers Association Footballer of the Year, twice PFA Players Player of the Year, twice runner-up for the FIFA’s World Player of the Year award and Arsenal’s top goal scorer for every one of the seven seasons he was at the club.

Henry's presence in the team lifted spirits whenever the chips were down and frightened the opposition defenders. A striker that scored goals for fun, became the club's record goal-scorer. He was bought for a mere £10.5m from Juventus and was the fulcrum of the team that Wenger built worthy of challenging for honours. Need I add more?

From however you looked at it, The Professor really has a keen eye for great players!

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