15 players you didn't know were at Arsenal: Benayoun, Britton, Gayle...
It can be tough to succeed at Arsenal, but failing there doesn't always mean you have to give up your entire career.
Few other clubs have played the youth game so well, bringing together the best from around the world, so it's only natural that a few still good players slip through the net.
While Cesc Fabregas made the cut in North London, others had to do it elsewhere. At the other end of the "wait, he was at Arsenal" scale, of course you have those senior players who had blink spells and you're going to miss that at Highbury or the 'Emirates Stadium between two stays elsewhere.
Here we look at 15 players you probably forgot played for the Gunners.
Benik AfobeA striker with over 50 Premier League appearances under his belt, Afobe was the subject of strange deals in 2018 when newly-promoted Wolves signed him from Bournemouth, on loan (and eventual sale) to Stoke without him playing a minute for the club in the meantime.
Long before that, however, the DR Congo international was on Arsenal's books, still holding out hope of a senior call-up to England after playing his part in the hunt for European glory under 17 in 2010 alongside players like Jack Butland and Ross Barkley.
That never happened to him at the Emirates, and he left in 2015 without playing a senior game.
Yossi BenayounWe remember Benayoun's spells at West Ham, Liverpool and Chelsea, but his time at Arsenal is often forgotten.
Strangely, however, he played more games in a season at Arsenal than in a season and a half with the Blues, from whom he was on loan.
Even his most important goal, in the 3-2 win over West Brom to secure Champions League qualification, came as most non-Arsenal fans watched Manchester City snatch the title.
> David BentleyBentley has achieved a lot in his career, including winning a handful of England caps, but none of the good guys have come to Arsenal (unless you're planning on making his senior debut for the club).
It feels like his entire time with the club was whitewashed by his arrival at neighbors Tottenham as one of their most expensive signings at the time, although the highlights came earlier .
An eye-catching spell on loan at Norwich made people think he could get a real breakthrough in the Premier League, and he did…only it was at Blackburn rather than Arsenal.
Leon BretonMost of you will know that Leon Britton spent most of his career at Swansea City, playing over 500 games for the Welsh club.
Some will also remember the short stint at Sheffield United he used to break up his two Swans stints. Few will remember him at the start of his life at West Ham's academy. Even fewer will remember his time at Arsenal.
The midfielder was on the Gunners' books until he was 16, when West Ham paid a six-figure fee to bring him to East London. In another life, he could have stayed and broken through in front of Cesc Fabregas. Yeah, maybe not.
Lassana DiarraDiarra was there for a while, I promise.
Signed from Chelsea and sold to Portsmouth, all within the space of six months, you can be forgiven for not noticing his presence.
The French international went on to spend time at Marseille, Real Madrid, Anzhi Makhachkala and PSG, in what will be remembered as a very confusing career.
Luke FreemanWhen Freeman made his Premier League debut for Sheffield United, a few Arsenal fans probably thought his name was familiar to them.
That's because the set piece maestro was picked up by Arsene Wenger shortly after he made his Gillingham debut aged just 15.
Although he never lived up to the Emirates, he built his way back, showing that good things come to those who wait.
Dwight GayleSpeaking of players who had to be patient, Gayle went out of the league after leaving Arsenal as a teenager.
The striker was in the Essex Senior League with Stansted before finally making the move to the football league aged 21, and a few years later he was in the top flight with Crystal Palace.
Speaking to Chronicle Live about his rejection from Arsenal, Gayle said: "It made me more determined at first because it was hard to take at a young age.
"I'm sure a lot of people have experienced this. After a few years, you learn from it and become a stronger person."
After six years (six!) on the books at Newcastle, he is now back in the Championship at Stoke.
Bradley JohnsonJohnson was only 15 when Arsenal left him...
It can be tough to succeed at Arsenal, but failing there doesn't always mean you have to give up your entire career.
Few other clubs have played the youth game so well, bringing together the best from around the world, so it's only natural that a few still good players slip through the net.
While Cesc Fabregas made the cut in North London, others had to do it elsewhere. At the other end of the "wait, he was at Arsenal" scale, of course you have those senior players who had blink spells and you're going to miss that at Highbury or the 'Emirates Stadium between two stays elsewhere.
Here we look at 15 players you probably forgot played for the Gunners.
Benik AfobeA striker with over 50 Premier League appearances under his belt, Afobe was the subject of strange deals in 2018 when newly-promoted Wolves signed him from Bournemouth, on loan (and eventual sale) to Stoke without him playing a minute for the club in the meantime.
Long before that, however, the DR Congo international was on Arsenal's books, still holding out hope of a senior call-up to England after playing his part in the hunt for European glory under 17 in 2010 alongside players like Jack Butland and Ross Barkley.
That never happened to him at the Emirates, and he left in 2015 without playing a senior game.
Yossi BenayounWe remember Benayoun's spells at West Ham, Liverpool and Chelsea, but his time at Arsenal is often forgotten.
Strangely, however, he played more games in a season at Arsenal than in a season and a half with the Blues, from whom he was on loan.
Even his most important goal, in the 3-2 win over West Brom to secure Champions League qualification, came as most non-Arsenal fans watched Manchester City snatch the title.
> David BentleyBentley has achieved a lot in his career, including winning a handful of England caps, but none of the good guys have come to Arsenal (unless you're planning on making his senior debut for the club).
It feels like his entire time with the club was whitewashed by his arrival at neighbors Tottenham as one of their most expensive signings at the time, although the highlights came earlier .
An eye-catching spell on loan at Norwich made people think he could get a real breakthrough in the Premier League, and he did…only it was at Blackburn rather than Arsenal.
Leon BretonMost of you will know that Leon Britton spent most of his career at Swansea City, playing over 500 games for the Welsh club.
Some will also remember the short stint at Sheffield United he used to break up his two Swans stints. Few will remember him at the start of his life at West Ham's academy. Even fewer will remember his time at Arsenal.
The midfielder was on the Gunners' books until he was 16, when West Ham paid a six-figure fee to bring him to East London. In another life, he could have stayed and broken through in front of Cesc Fabregas. Yeah, maybe not.
Lassana DiarraDiarra was there for a while, I promise.
Signed from Chelsea and sold to Portsmouth, all within the space of six months, you can be forgiven for not noticing his presence.
The French international went on to spend time at Marseille, Real Madrid, Anzhi Makhachkala and PSG, in what will be remembered as a very confusing career.
Luke FreemanWhen Freeman made his Premier League debut for Sheffield United, a few Arsenal fans probably thought his name was familiar to them.
That's because the set piece maestro was picked up by Arsene Wenger shortly after he made his Gillingham debut aged just 15.
Although he never lived up to the Emirates, he built his way back, showing that good things come to those who wait.
Dwight GayleSpeaking of players who had to be patient, Gayle went out of the league after leaving Arsenal as a teenager.
The striker was in the Essex Senior League with Stansted before finally making the move to the football league aged 21, and a few years later he was in the top flight with Crystal Palace.
Speaking to Chronicle Live about his rejection from Arsenal, Gayle said: "It made me more determined at first because it was hard to take at a young age.
"I'm sure a lot of people have experienced this. After a few years, you learn from it and become a stronger person."
After six years (six!) on the books at Newcastle, he is now back in the Championship at Stoke.
Bradley JohnsonJohnson was only 15 when Arsenal left him...
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