Say adieu and prosper

Aug 25, 2012 - Arjun Gyani

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Alex Song joined Robin van Persie as the latest Arsenal player to walk away from the Emirates Stadium in a seven-year exodus of Gunners who have won 44 medals while the ones that stayed back at Arsenal won nothing.

Arsenal can at best boast of two losing finals and remaining in the Top 4 since 2005-06, however, their highest finish since has been third.

While Song and £24 million Manchester man van Persie are yet to win anything at their new clubs, given that Barcelona and Manchester United are the most decorated clubs in Europe in the last seven years, it might not be long before their trophy cabinets start filling up.

Since winning the FA Cup in 2005, Arsenal have sold 17 players who have gone on to win 44 major trophies with 11 different clubs.

In 2005, Patrick Viera was the first big name to leave. His was the last kick that also won a trophy for Arsenal.

Sold to Juventus, he went on to win three Serie A titles with Inter Milan and one FA Cup with Manchester City.

2006 brought probably the most controversial transfer away from Arsenal — Ashley Cole joined Chelsea saying it was the ‘best decision of his life’ and felt vindicated after winning the Champions League with Chelsea last season making it one Premier League, one Champions League (CL), four FA Cups and one League Cup (LC) since leaving Arsenal. After winning the CL, he took yet another dig at Arsenal saying, ‘this is why I joined Chelsea’.

2007 saw Arsenal talisman Thierry Henry join Barcelona where he won two La Ligas, one Copa del Rey (CDR), one CL, one Uefa Super Cup and one Club World Cup.

Diarra left the same year and apart from his success with Portsmouth, he won one CDR and one La Liga with Real Madrid.

In 2008, Mathieu Flamini went to Milan and won one Serie A. In 2009 began the Arsenal to Man City conveyer belt.

First on the belt was Emmanuel Adebayor whose trophy came on loan at Real Madrid when he won the CDR.

Kolo Toure was next and he won one PL and one FA Cup with the Citizens.
2010 saw just the one exit in Fran Merida and even he won one Europa Super Cup with Atletico Madrid.

In 2011, Cesc Fabregas (finally) joined Barcelona and he has won one Europa Super Cup, one Club World Cup and one CDR while both Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri were on the same conveyer belt and won the same trophies as Kolo Toure.

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