Top five Arsenal players who have lived to regret leaving Arsenal
Top five Arsenal players who have lived to regret leaving the club
Arsenal is without a doubt one of the most powerful clubs in the Premier League and Europe. The Gunners have a long and illustrious history, particularly in the Premier League, where they have regularly been a top-four team.
Patrick Vieira, Robert Pires, Thierry Henry, and Dennis Bergkamp all played for Arsenal and helped the club solidify its position as one of Europe’s best.
Arsenal, on the other hand, has struggled to maintain that level of success in recent years. As a result, some of the team’s more prominent players have left in quest of silverware and, in some cases, a huge cheque book.
The top five Arsenal players who have to regret leaving Arsenal
Exiting the Arsenal club has benefited certain players, notably Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie.
For a few others, however, it has been a source of sorrow as they left Arsenal in quest of greater pastures only to have their careers fall worse.
Patrick Vieira
During his tenure with Arsenal, Patrick Vieira earned his reputation as probably the best midfielder in the world. His physicality and athleticism made him one of the most complete box-to-box midfielders in the game, and he simply dominated the midfield.
Viera won the Premier League three times and the FA Cup four times while playing alongside players such as Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry.
In August 2005, however, the Frenchman chose to depart the Emirates, signing a five-year contract with Juventus.
Following an outstanding start with the Bianconeri, which included winning Serie A, Juventus were stripped of their title and relegated to Serie B following the Calciopoli scandal.
Patrick Vieira, together with Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluca Zambrotta, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, left the Allianz Stadium for Inter Milan.
He did not, however, achieve the heights of his Arsenal days, having limited success with the Nerazzurri before finishing his career with Manchester City in the Premier League.
Mathieu Flamini
Mathieu Flamini liked his time at Arsenal, where he played in the middle of the park between 2004 and 2008.
He developed into one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, and he was even mentioned as a possible replacement for Arsenal veteran Patrick Vieira.
Flamini’s outstanding performances drew the attention of big clubs all around Europe.
His four-year tenure at the Emirates Stadium came to an end when he joined Serie A heavyweights AC Milan.
Flamini became a squad player with the Rossoneri after falling behind Massimo Ambrosini in the club’s pecking order, despite winning the Serie A title in 2010/11.
Flamini returned to Arsenal for free in August 2014 after struggling for minutes and regular playing time at AC Milan.
He returned as a player, however, trying to save his career. Mathieu Flamini was transferred to Crystal Palace after two years, despite playing a significant role in Arsenal’s FA Cup victory that season.
After trying to find his feet at Getafe, the 37-year-old eventually put up his boots in 2019.
Alex Song
Alex Song struggled to make an impact in the Arsenal midfield after his €4 million arrival from Bastia in 2005 and was loaned out to Charlton Athletic.
He returned as a more mature and refined midfielder for Arsenal, and he quickly established himself as a key player in the middle of the park.
Alex Song completed a shock €19 million move to Barcelona in 2012 after excelling with the Gunners.
Given the caliber of the Barcelona squad, the Cameroon international would have a difficult time breaking into the starting lineup.
Song only had a few chances to make an impression in the first squad before being shipped out on loan to West Ham United.
In 2016, he joined Rubin Kazan for free and now plays for Djiboutian side.
Nicolas Anelka
Between 1996 and 1999, Nicolas Anelka made his name at Arsenal.
He had a fantastic season at Arsenal in 1998-99, scoring 17 goals in 35 league appearances.
Anelka moved to La Liga, joining Real Madrid, a Spanish powerhouse. He only lasted one season at the Santiago Bernabeu, though, as his tenure was overshadowed by various off-field controversies.
After a falling out with Real Madrid fans, Anelka was given a 45-day suspension for failing to show up for team training.
Between 1996 and 1999, Nicolas Anelka made his name at Arsenal.
He had a fantastic season at Arsenal in 1998-99, scoring 17 goals in 35 league appearances.
Nicolas Anelka established his mark at Arsenal between 1996 and 1999.
In 1998-99, he had an outstanding season at Arsenal, scoring 17 goals in 35 league games.
Anelka joined Real Madrid, a Spanish powerhouse, in La Liga.
He only lasted one season at the Santiago Bernabeu, though, as his time there was marred by a slew of off-field issues.
Anelka was given a 45-day suspension for failing to show up for squad training after a spat with Real Madrid fans.
Alexander Hleb
Alexander Hleb is among top Arsenal players living with regrets of leaving Arsenal.
In 2000, he moved from Stuttgart to Arsenal for a fee of €15 million.
His quick fit and fluid skills made him a thorn in the flesh of any opponent, immediately justifying his transfer value.
The former Belarus international was also adaptable, able to play as a winger or a playmaker in the center of the field.
Two years later, he transferred to Barcelona for €17 million in the hopes of winning a trophy.
While he achieved his goal of winning the historic continental treble with Barcelona almost immediately, he failed to break into the Blaugrana first squad.
Due to his limited playing time, Hleb was loaned out to Stuttgart, Birmingham City, and Wolfsburg before signing a free transfer to Russian club Krylya Sovetov Samara.
After that, he played for five different clubs, including Konyaspor and Genclerbirligi in Turkey, before retiring at BATE Borisov.
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