TOP SIGNINGS

PATRICK VIEIRA

Physical and uncompromising out of possession; sublimely elegant with the ball at his feet – Vieira at his best was a phenomenon, guiding the Gunners to three Premier League titles and four FA Cup triumphs over the course of 406 appearances. His void was never adequately filled after he left in 2005.

THIERRY HENRY

A bright but seemingly brittle talent became the most feared forward in European football. He left for Barcelona in 2007 as a two-time Premier League champion and three-time winner of the Football Writers' Association Player of the Year award. He is Arsenal's all-time record goalscorer with 228 in 377 matches.

ROBERT PIRES

Signed for £6m from Marseille in 2000, he was initially an underwhelming replacement for Dutch winger Marc Overmars. He preceded Thierry Henry's FWA wins by taking the gong in 2001-02. Alongside Freddie Ljungberg, Dennis Bergkamp and Henry, he was the final piece in the puzzle of the Invincibles attacking line.

SOL CAMPBELL

He was a Premier League winner in his first season at Highbury and again in 2003-04. He played alongside club greats Tony Adams and Martin Keown before his alliance with Kolo Toure. He helped Arsenal go 995 minutes without conceding a Champions League goal en route to a 2-1 final defeat against Barca in 2006.

ROBIN VAN PERSIE

He arrived for a paltry £2.75m from Feyenoord in 2004 but turned himself into a complete centre-forward. He scored 132 times in 278 games for the Gunners – his phenomenal 37 across all competitions in 2011-12 leading to the FWA and PFA Player of the Year awards before Manchester United came calling.