During the austerity years there were a lot of players we tried to sign despite not having the money to do so. Looking down the list of players who are available for free, you can’t help but feeling Arsene Wenger still getting a little excited when he looks the names…
Here are nine that jumped out at me:
1Edinson Cavani (CF, 33)
2Mario Gotze (AM, 28)
BREMEN, GERMANY – MAY 04: Mario Goetze of Borussia Dortmund looks dejected during the Bundesliga match between SV Werder Bremen and Borussia Dortmund at Weserstadion on May 04, 2019 in Bremen, Germany. (Photo by Oliver Hardt/Bongarts/Getty Images)
Another blast from the past that actually was linked with Arsenal this summer too just for the craic.
3Daniel Sturridge (CF, 31)
Liverpool’s English striker Daniel Sturridge (L) vies for the ball with Porto’s Algerian midfielder Yacine Brahimi (R) during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final, first leg football match between Liverpool and FC Porto at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, north-west England on April 9, 2019. (Photo by LLUIS GENE / AFP / Getty Images)
It happened. You know it.
4Ashley Williams (CB, 36)
Everton’s English-born Welsh defender Ashley Williams (2R) celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the English Premier League football match between Everton and Arsenal at Goodison Park in Liverpool, north west England on December 13, 2016. (PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images)
Remember when we couldn’t get him to leave Swansea?
5Yohan Cabaye (AM, 34)
WEST BROMWICH, ENGLAND – MARCH 04: Jason Puncheon of Crystal Palace (C) and Yohan Cabaye of Crystal Palace (R) speak after the Premier League match between West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace at The Hawthorns on March 4, 2017 in West Bromwich, England. (Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images)
Every. Single. Window.
6Ezequiel Garay (CB, 33)
Zenit’s Argentinian defender Ezequiel Garay looks over during the UEFA Champions’ League, Group H, football match KAA Gent vs FC Zenit on December 9, 2015 at the KAA Gent Stadium in Gent. /AFP/JOHN THYS
Him too.
7Alexandre Pato (CF, 31)
SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – JUNE 02: Alexandre Pato of Sao Paulo celebrates after scoring the first goal of his team during the match against Cruzeiro for the Brasileirao Series A 2019 at Pacaembu Stadium on June 02, 2019 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Alexandre Schneider/Getty Images)
Constantly when he was at AC Milan.
8Hatem Ben Arfa (AM, 33)
(LtoR) Paris Saint-Germain’s forward Hatem Ben Arfa takes part in a training session on the eve of the UEFA Champions League football match Paris-Saint Germain vs Arsenal, on September 12, 2016 at the Ooredoo training centre in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, outside Paris. / AFP / FRANCK FIFE
Or am I getting him mixed up with your other dude?
9Mario Mandzukic (CF, 34)
Mario Mandžukić
We were writing about Arsenal being linked with Mandžukić as far back as 2015, like most of these players, if not before, but we lost the first years of the site in a server move.