Arsenal's Best and Worst January Signings of Premier League Era
The January transfer window is here, and Arsenal are active. They've already signed Polish midfielder Krystian Bielik and, according to Anthony Hay of the Daily Mail, are on the verge of adding Brazilian centre-half Gabriel Paulista.
As Gunners supporters wait to see how their new boys fare, they may look back over January signings from the past. It's notoriously risky to bring in a player halfway through a season, and Arsenal have certainly had mixed results with their midseason recruits.
In this piece, we rank the five best and worst of Arsenal's January signings during the Premier League era. There are several factors taken in to account. Were they what Arsenal needed at the time? Did they offer value for money? Did they live up to expectations.
Read on to discover the best January buys and worst flops in Arsenal's recent history.
5th Best January Signing: Emmanuel Eboue
1 of 10
Emmanuel Eboue joined Arsenal in January 2005 to provide cover and competition for Lauren at right-back.
By May of 2006, Eboue was starting a Champions League final in Arsenal colours. Although his defending was erratic, he far exceeded expectations after arriving as an unknown from the backwaters of Belgian football.
4th Best January Signing: Sol Campbell
2 of 10
With Arsenal desperate for defensive cover in January of 2010, Arsene Wenger took the extraordinary step of re-signing Sol Campbell.
The former England international was a free agent after an ill-fated spell at Notts County. It appeared ridiculous to suggest he could return to elite competition.
However, signing Campbell proved a masterstroke. He played fairly regularly, scoring against Porto in the Champions League and performing memorable heroics away to former club Spurs.
3rd Best January Signing: Nacho Monreal
3 of 10
When Kieran Gibbs succumbed to a thigh injury in the final week of the 2013 January transfer window, Arsenal decided to move for Spanish international Nacho Monreal.
Although ostensibly signed as emergency cover, Monreal has since gone on to become a mainstay of the squad. At present, he appears to have edged ahead of Gibbs as Arsenal's first-choice left-back. His deadline-day signing has provided real value for money.
2nd Best January Signing: Emmanuel Adebayor
4 of 10
Few Arsenal fans had heard of Emmanuel Adebayor when Arsene Wenger plucked him from the bench at Monaco to be a foil for Thierry Henry.
However, his athleticism and appetite for hard work made him an instant hit with the Highbury crowd. When Henry eventually left the club, Adebayor succeeded him as Arsenal's first-choice centre-forward, scoring 30 goals in the 2007/08 season.
Eventually, his relationship with the club soured and he was sold to Manchester City. The huge profit Arsenal made on him is testament to the success of the signing.
Best January Signing: Theo Walcott
5 of 10
Although Theo Walcott joined Arsenal in January of 2006, he didn't actually play for the club until that August. No matter: He has since made up for lost time, establishing himself as a key figure at the club. It is now difficult to imagine Walcott without Arsenal, and vice-versa.
At the time of his signing, Walcott was the most prized young player in English football. Although it took him time to convert his talent in to tangible results, he is now a highly-effective international winger. Arsene Wenger's gamble on a prodigious talent has paid off.
5th Worst January Signing: Thomas Eisfeld
6 of 10
When Arsenal poached Thomas Eisfeld from Borussia Dortmund in January of 2012, Arsenal fans hoped they might have pinched the new Mario Gotze.
Those hopes never bore fruit. After a handful of first-team appearances, Eisfeld was sold to Fulham in the summer of 2014.
4th Worst January Signing: Jose Reyes
7 of 10
Jose Antonio Reyes might have won the Premier League and FA Cup with Arsenal, but he never truly fulfilled his undoubted talent.
It all started so promisingly: Reyes opened his Arsenal account against rivals Chelsea, and he helped the team get to the end of the 2003/04 team without being beaten.
However, he struggled to cope with the physical elements of English football, and he eventually forced a return to La Liga. Arsenal fans look back at his time with the club with regret and frustration.
3rd Worst January Signing: Guillaume Warmuz
8 of 10
Some Arsenal fans have probably forgotten that Guillaume Warmuz's registration was ever held by the club.
He joined in January of 2003 as a replacement for Rami Shaaban. However, he failed to make a single appearance for Arsenal before joining Borussia Dortmund six months later.
2nd Worst January Signing: Kim Kallstrom
9 of 10
Kim Kallstrom is certainly the most bizarre signing in Arsenal's January transfer window history.
With the club scouring the globe for emergency midfield cover, the Swede was brought in on loan from Spartak Moscow. However, it transpired that he had been signed with a back injury which kept him sidelined for several weeks.
Eventually, he did take to the field, scoring a crucial penalty in the shootout of the FA Cup semi-final against Wigan. However, it was no surprise when Arsenal neglected to make his move to London permanent. Kallstrom will be remembered as a curious footnote in Arsenal's transfer history.
Worst January Signing: Andrey Arshavin
10 of 10
Arsenal have signed few players more talented than Andrey Arshavin. Unfortunately, few players have under-performed quite so spectacularly.
It started so well: In his first six months at the club, Arshavin was outstanding. Four goals at Anfield capped an impressive few months as he helped Arsenal qualify for the Champions League.
Sadly, it was downhill from there. Arshavin fell away from first-team contention, and the man who had once been Arsenal's record signing was eventually allowed to leave the club for free. It was a spectacular fall from grace for a player who was once one of the game's most exciting talents.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
