Arsene Wenger’s time as the Gunners boss came to an end after 22 years. It made him the longest-serving manager in the history of Premier League and also in any of the four professional divisions in English football.
During his tenure at the club, Wenger has led them to three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups titles. He also built the famous Invincibles side which has won the league title in 2003/04 without losing a single game.
One major silverware that eluded Wenger was the UEFA Champions League. Arsenal lost to Barcelona in 2006 final, which turned out to be the only Champions League final for Arsene Wenger.
Wenger has made some great signings at the club. Players like Cesc Fabregas, Nicolas Anelka, Gilberto Silva, Sol Campbell, Robert Pires, Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, and many more have arrived at the club during his reign.
However, he has also made some big mistakes in the transfer market by letting some of his big players leave.
On that note, let’s take a look at the four players Wenger should not have sold at Arsenal.
1. Cesc Fabregas
Cesc Fabregas was one of La Masia’s finest footballers. He left his boyhood club, Barcelona, in 2003 and joined Arsenal. The Spaniard has turned into one of the best Premier League midfielders under Wenger and played with him for eight years.
Fabregas has played 212 Premier League games for Arsenal and scored 35 goals. He has also made 74 assists and was a key player under Arsene Wenger. However, he moved to Barcelona in 2011.
He played at the Camp Nou for only three years and returned to the Premier League in 2014, but this time with Arsenal’s London rivals Chelsea. Arsenal missed his creativity and was never able to fight for the Premier League title again.
2. Robin van Persie
Robin van Persie is one of the greatest Premier League strikers of all-time. The Dutch international joined Arsenal in 2004 and played 194 Premier League game for the Gunners.
He has scored 132 goals in all competitions for Arsenal and turned into a lethal striker under Arsene Wenger. However, he left Arsenal in 2012 and joined one of their rivals, Manchester United.
To add insult to injury, Van Persie lifted the Premier League title in his first season at Old Trafford. Arsene Wenger missed him badly and was never able to replace him on a long-term.
Though Olivier Giroud and Alexandre Lacazette arrived at the club after his departure, none of them was able to match his goalscoring and match-winning abilities.
3. Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry is one of the greatest strikers of all-time. Arsenal was lucky to have him for eight long years but lost him to Barcelona in 2007. With 228 goals, the Frenchman is the all-time top goal scorer in the Gunners history.
Thierry Henry was the most important player of the great Invincibles squad of 2003/04. Ever since his departure, Arsenal’s supremacy in the Premier League has vanished slowly. Though Arsenal had a great striker in Robin van Persie, a player like Thierry Henry can never be replaced.
Henry went on to win two La Liga titles and a UEFA Champions League title with the Catalan side. Arsenal could have won a few more Silverwares had Henry stayed at the club for a few more years.
4. Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira was a key member of the Arsenal side that lifted the Premier League title in 2003/04. He was allowed to join Juventus in 2005 after nine years at the club. Vieira has made 279 appearances for Arsenal in the Premier League and scored 29 times.
Primarily a deep-lying midfielder, Vieira was a powerful, aggressive, and physically strong player. Vieira has won three Premier League title with Wenger and ever since his departure, Arsenal never finished at the top.
Vieira went on to win four Serie A title with Inter Milan, showing Wenger, how bad a decision it was to let him go. He is definitely one of the greatest midfielders to have ever played in the Premier League.