Arsenal's five greatest-ever midfielders according to AI with Fabregas second
Throughout their history, Arsenal's squad has been blessed with truly brilliant midfielders.
From the likes of Ray Parlour and Gilberto Silva to the current crop of captain Martin Odegaard and club record signing Declan Rice, the Gunners have frequently been able to call on one of the best engine rooms in the Premier League.
Now, Mirror Football has asked AI to rank the top five midfielders in Arsenal's history. The list spans from FA Cup winners, to those who lifted the Premier League title and legendary captains, with all five enjoying huge success during their time with the Gunners.
5. David Rocastle
A product of Arsenal's academy, David Rocastle would become a legendary player after breaking into the first-team in 1985. He spent seven years with the Gunners, making 275 appearances in all competitions.
The Englishman won two top-flight titles, the League Cup and the Football League Centenary Trophy during his time at Arsenal. Rocastle was recognised for his brilliance, being named the club's Player of the Year in 1986.
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Having played a pivotal role in the team throughout his early career, Rocastle was sold to Leeds in 1992. Tragically he died from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in March 2001, at the age of just 33.
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4. Robert Pires
Robert Pires starred for Arsenal during his six years at the club (PA)Signed for what in the modern game would be a bargain £6million in 2000, Robert Pires became a stalwart of Arsene Wenger's team. He spent over six years with the Gunners, making over 280 appearances and scoring 87 goals.
He won two Premier League titles, two FA Cups and appeared in the 2006 Champions League final. He was named Arsenal's player of the year and the FWA Footballer of the Year in 2002, earning high praise from Wenger.
He said: “I’m delighted for Robert because he is a wonderful person, not just a fantastic footballer. He has played a major part in our success this season and to be voted Footballer of the Year is a real recognition of his talents."
3. Liam Brady
Like Rocastle, Liam Brady also came through Arsenal's academy to become a legendary player. He made his debut in 1973, spending the next seven years with the Gunners as a stalwart of the team.
During his time at the club, they reached three successive FA Cup finals, though only won once of them, in 1979. Brady started the move that ended in Alan Sunderland's famous winner.
Brady was named the club's Player of the Year three times and the PFA's Players' Player of the Year once. In total, he made more than 200 appearances before moving to Serie A giants Juventus.
2. Cesc Fabregas
Cesc Fabregas endured a frustrating time at Arsenal with his talent not rewarded by trophies (Getty Images)After moving to Arsenal from Barcelona as a youth player, Cesc Fabregas broke into the first-team in 2004. Over the next seven years, Fabregas proved to be an integral player, eventually becoming club captain.
While the Spaniard was seen as one of the Premier League's best midfielders during his time at the club, he would not be rewarded with trophies. The 2005 FA Cup would be the only major silverware Fabregas won with the Gunners, with the former star later revealing that lack of trophies prompted him to depart.
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He said in 2020: “I was the captain, I always felt so much pressure on myself. “I had to lead this team to win something. I gave everything. Yeah, we were playing beautiful football and I enjoyed that side of things but I was putting pressure on myself to lead, to do everything and at one point I felt kind of lonely."
1. Patrick Vieira
Signed for only £3.5million in 1996, Patrick Vieira would become a household name during a nine-year spell with Arsenal. Widely regarded as one of the best captains in Arsenal's history, winning three Premier League titles and four FA Cups.
Vieira is also among the select few Arsenal players to have won the World Cup during his time at the Gunners. Current Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta played against him while at Everton and made his admiration clear.
He said in 2021: “He was very dominant. He was physically really gifted, technically too, he had the right temper, he was brave and he could score goals. He could do a bit of everything and he was remarkable. Patrick was Patrick. There’s not going to be another one like him."
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