20 Arsenal Players You've Probably Forgotten

Arsenal have had many iconic names over the years. The likes of Ian Wright, Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry have all graced the turf at either Highbury or the Emirates Stadium.

However, there have also been many players who have not left such a lasting impression. A host of footballers have come and gone from Arsenal without really making their mark.

In this article, we dig up at 20 Gunners players you had probably forgotten.

Tomas Danilevicius

Tomas Danilevicius joined Arsenal in December 2000, having impressed during a trial with the club in which he netted an impressive goal in a friendly with Barcelona.

Danilevicius came to Arsenal from Beveren, a Belgian team who Arsene Wenger used as a feeder club for some years around the turn of the millennium.

However, Danilevicius only made a handful of Arsenal appearances and never scored a competitive goal for the club. He went out on loan to Dunfermline before returning to Belgium in 2001.

Guillaume Warmuz

Guillaume Warmuz never played a competitive match for Arsenal.

He signed in January 2003 as emergency cover for the injury-prone David Seaman. However, he was never called upon.

Just six months later, he moved to Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer as a replacement for Jens Lehmann, who in turn joined the Gunners. It's fair to say that Lehmann fared significantly better in London than Warmuz.

Davor Suker

It's easy to forget Davor Suker was an Arsenal player.

He arrived amid much excitement in 1999, just a year after winning the World Cup's Golden Boot award.

Suker was impressive in an Arsenal shirt, scoring 10 times in 15 starts. However, facing competition from the likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry and Kanu, Suker failed to secure a regular place and was sold to West Ham after just one season with the Gunners.

Alberto Mendez

Arsenal recently signed a German midfielder to huge fanfare. The arrival of Mesut Ozil was celebrated in the streets around the Emirates Stadium. 

However, Arsene Wenger's first German signing slipped almost entirely under the radar.

Alberto Mendez joined from SC Feucht in 1997. Although he scored on his debut against Birmingham in the League Cup, he soon faded into obscurity, making just 11 appearances across five years with Arsenal.

Junichi Inamoto

Junichi Inamoto's performances on home soil at the 2002 World Cup made him something of a global star. However, his time at Arsenal is almost entirely forgotten.

Inamoto's move to Arsenal was a sensation in Japan. The player was forced to hold a weekly press conference to meet the demand for media access from his home country.

However, on the pitch, things didn't go so well for Inamoto. In his year with the club he made just four appearances, and never played in the Premier League.

Nevertheless, Inamoto's success at the World Cup was the start of an impressive career with clubs like Fulham, Galatasaray and Rennes.

Inamoto, now 34, still plays in Japan for Kawasaki Frontale.

Amaury Bischoff

Amaury Bischoff was one of the more baffling signings of Arsene Wenger's distinguished reign.

The French-born Portugal U-21 midfielder joined in 2008 on a free transfer. However, he was not fit to play. Bischoff was recovering from two major groin operations and required serious rehabilitation.

He did eventually get into shape and appeared several times for Arsenal over the course of the season, but did not do enough to earn a new contract. He now plays in the third tier of German football.

Fran Merida

Fran Merida was once hailed as the new Cesc Fabregas.

Like Fabregas, Merida came over to Arsenal from Barcelona as a teenager. He was talented, too. In his appearances in the youth team, he showcased a wonderful passing range and a devastating shot from long range. With his cultured left foot, it was hoped he might emerge as a long-term partner for Fabregas.

It wasn't to be.

After growing frustrated with a lack of first-team opportunities with the Gunners, Merida chose to return to Spain and join Atletico Madrid. The move didn't prove fruitful, but Merida is now rebuilding his career in Brazil with Atletico Paranaense.

Danny Karbassiyoon

Danny Karbassiyoon's story is rather a sad one—albeit one with a happy ending.

The American youngster's career at Arsenal started so promisingly, as he came on to score on his debut against Manchester City in the League Cup in 2004.

Arsenal converted the left-footed Karbassiyoon from a forward to a full-back, and that's where he played most regularly when he joined Burnley on a permanent deal in 2005.

However, his young career was dogged by knee problems, and Karbassiyoon was eventually forced to retire from the game aged just 22.

However, Danny's story didn't end there. Arsenal showed their class by employing Karbassiyoon as a scout, using his expertise to assist with identifying the next generation of talent. He is also believed to be working on his memoirs of his time as a player.

Quincy Owusu-Abeyie

Quincy Owusu-Abeyie was a real box of tricks.

After coming over from Ajax, he progressed right through to the Arsenal first team, making as many as 13 appearances during the 2005/06 season.

However, he left the Gunners in search of regular first-team football in the summer of 2006, joining Spartak Moscow.

Owusu-Abeyie has since returned to Britain for spells with Portsmouth, Cardiff and Birmingham. He was most recently spotted on trial with Crystal Palace.

Park Chu-Young

You've probably forgotten that Park Chu-Young plays for Arsenal. However, he's still there.

Park may eventually go down as Arsene Wenger's strangest signing. He joined in August 2011, but found himself immediately marginalised and on the very fringes of the first-team squad.

A loan move to Celta Vigo failed to become permanent, and now Park is back training with the Arsenal team.

However, with Olivier Giroud, Nicklas Bendtner and Yaya Sanogo ahead of him in the pecking order, a Premier League appearance for the Gunners looks all but impossible.

Guy Demel

Guy Demel spent a season with Arsenal in 2000-01 but never played a senior game.

After his year with the Gunners he moved to Borussia Dortmund, where he became established as an Ivory Coast international.

Demel has since returned to London and is now a reliable member of West Ham United's back four.

Arturo Lupoli

Arturo Lupoli's name derives from the Italian word for wolf. For a long time, Arsenal fans hoped he would become their "fox in the box."

Lupoli was a prolific scorer at youth level. His partnership with a teenage Nicklas Bendtner wreaked havoc in the Reserves league. However, he was not able to translate that form to the senior stage.

Lupoli now plays for A.S. Varese in Serie B.

Sebastian Svard

Sebastian Svard was an integral member of Arsenal's FA Youth Cup-winning side of 2001. As his career progressed, his disciplined play in holding midfielder became reminiscent of Arsenal's "Invisible Wall," Gilberto Silva.

However, unlike Gilberto, Svard made just three League Cup appearances for the senior side before his permanent move to Borussia Monchengladbach in the summer of 2006.

Svard recently returned to English football to join League Two side Wycombe Wanderers.

Rami Shaaban

For a brief spell, Rami Shaaban threatened to become Arsenal's No. 1.

The Swedish-Egyptian shot-stopper initially arrived in August 2002 was a reserve. However, his good performances as a deputy saw him crank up the pressure on an increasingly creaky David Seaman.

Unfortunately, injury cut Shaaban's Arsenal career short. A broken leg in December 2002 took him out of contention. By the time Shaaban returned to fitness, Jens Lehmann was established as Arsenal's new goalkeeper.

Nevertheless, Shaaban went on to have a creditable career, playing 16 times for the Swedish national team.

Juan

Who remembers Juan?

Juan Maldonado Jaimez Junior (to give him his full name) joined Arsenal in 2001. He was small, skillful and speedy. What's more, he was versatile, able to play in central midfield as well as at left-back.

It was at full-back that Juan made his first-team breakthrough. After making his debut in the League Cup against Grimsby Town, he starred in a FA Cup fifth-round tie against Gillingham, grabbing an assist after starting in a back four that also contained Tony Adams, Sol Campbell and Lee Dixon.

It never got any better for Juan, who returned to Brazil with Fluminense in 2004.

Stefan Malz

Stefan Malz's first year with Arsenal was something of a success.

The German midfielder scored twice in 11 appearances for the Gunners during the 1999-2000 season.

However, he failed to push on and made just three appearances in the campaign that followed before being sold to Kaiserslautern.

Paolo Vernazza

Paolo Vernazza's Arsenal career promised plenty but ultimately delivered just seven starts.

As a teenager he was incredibly highly thought of. He represented England in the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championships. In that tournament, his team-mates included the likes of Ashley Cole and Peter Crouch.

However, Vernazza did not emulate the success of some of his contemporaries. Instead, he drifted down the leagues, retiring from football in 2011 aged just 31.

Fabian Caballero

Argentine forward Fabian Caballero joined Arsenal on loan from Paraguayan side Cerro Porteno in October 1998, making three substitute appearances for the club.

He was powerful but raw, and remained towards the bottom of the pecking order when Arsene Wenger was selecting his strikers.

At the end of the season, Cabellero returned to Paraguay.

He later returned to British shores with Dundee, playing in the 2003 Scottish Cup Final.

Kaba Diawara

Kaba Diawara has become something of a cult hero at Arsenal.

Diawara was primarily used as an impact substitute. Twelve of his 15 appearances came from the bench.

However, his main impact seemed to be upon the woodwork. Diawara was infamous for hitting the post and bar when scoring seemed easier.

The most famous example came against Leeds in a crucial clash in 1999. Diawara had one effort cleared off the line before another struck the crossbar. Leeds promptly went up the other end to score the winning goal and hit Arsenal's title hopes.

Christopher Wreh

Christopher Wreh's C.V. is quite the read. Very few players have turned out for both Arsenal and Bishop's Stortford.

Arsene Wenger knew of Wreh from his time at Monaco. The Liberian striker was a cousin of George Weah, who had also been a part of Wenger's squad.

After joining the Gunners, Wreh went on to play a crucial role in Arsenal's double-winning 1997-98 season, scoring the winning goal in the FA Cup semi-final against Wolves.

He remains the only Liberian to have won the Premier League.

Has this article jogged your memory? Which long-forgotten Arsenal players have you just remembered? Let us know below.