Which Will Be the Next Arsenal Stars That Manchester City Look to Poach?

Arsenal last won the Premier League in 2003-04. Arsene Wenger's "Invincibles" won 36, drew 13 and lost none from May 7, 2003 to October 24, 2004.

You know that's coming up on 10 years, now, don't you?

Manchester City finished the 2003-04 Premier League season in a robust 16th place. City were a comfortable eight points above the drop that claimed Leicester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leeds United that season. City even nicked Everton by two points.

But City's haul of 41 points from 38 matches was just not Ivy League, now, was it?

Ten years ago, the mere thought that City might come in for Thierry Henry or Dennis Bergkamp would have been laughable. Though it should be noted that both Kolo Toure and Patrick Vieira later donned sky blue.

A decade later, Arsenal are still playing Champions League football with regularity and still a worldwide brand. City, though, have leapfrogged (with apologies only to Chelsea) the rest of the Premier League. Including Arsenal.

City coolly took Bacary Sagna from the Gunners this past summer in a free transfer. Sagna recently explained his reasons for making the switch.

"I am 31 and this was the right time for me to leave Arsenal. I wanted to see somewhere new, and to boost my career," Sagna told Sky Sports. "Arsenal are, and remain, a quality side. But I can understand their fans feeling frustrated when they see players moving to other clubs."

That last bit had to sting Gunner Nation just a bit.

Arsenal's inability or unwillingness to hang onto their stars is nothing like a secret. Robin van Persie left Arsenal for Manchester United in 2012. And City had famously plucked Samir Nasri from Arsenal in 2011.

So will City's new north London pipeline continue to deliver new product for the Citizens? And who might they be after?

Looking at Arsenal's roster today, well, there just is not that much to choose from.

Wojciech Szczesny might be an upgrade over Joe Hart at goalkeeper, but having acquired Willy Caballero this summer City are almost surely not in the market for another goalkeeper at the present time.

City bought Eliaquim Mangala and acquired Sagna to bolster their back line, so a move for someone like Laurent Koscielny (29 this month) seems unlikely.

And Arsenal do not really have a glut of striking options. Olivier Giroud probably will not play again in 2014. Wenger just acquired both Danny Welbeck and Alexis Sanchez, so neither of them are apt to move again any time soon. Defender Calum Chambers is also probably not going to be sold too quickly, for that matter.

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Theo Walcott is intriguing, but he has not played since January and no one can know what his current fitness level is without seeing him play. And let's be honest: Walcott has not been the healthiest player to lace up boots. At 25, Walcott has an injury rap sheet that does not inspire confidence in his ability to stay upright.

But oh, look at Arsenal's midfield. Talk about a target-rich environment.

One of City's biggest problems is what to do whenever David Silva pulls up lame. Mesut Ozil would fit beautifully in that role, and he is almost two years younger than Silva. Santi Cazorla might also work in that manner at City.

Aaron Ramsey, still just 24 years of age, has come all the way back from the terrifying leg injury he sustained in February of 2010. Acquiring Ramsey or a younger player like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain would also help City keep in line with their home-grown player requirements for Champions League purposes.

Surely City cannot be all that thrilled with carrying Frank Lampard's legacy on their Champions League roster in 2014-15.

Ultimately the decision of when and whether City will come back on Arsenal for another player or two will be determined by City's need in each subsequent transfer window. Which is kind of remarkable, when you really think about it.

Outside of Ozil or perhaps Sanchez, no Arsenal player would walk into the City XI. Sagna was one of Arsenal's better defenders, and he conceded in that Sky Sports piece that the competition for his place with Pablo Zabaleta will be significant.

Ten years on from Arsenal ruling English football and City clinging to their Premier League place, everything is different. Arsenal players have to leave north London and go to Manchester if they really want to play at the sport's highest level.

The blue side of Manchester, mind you.