With Steve Sidwell making the move from Highbury to Stamford Bridge, via the Madejski Stadium in Reading of course, Pies looks at 10 giveaways which could/or have come back to bite Mr Wenger on the Arsene.
1 Steve Sidwell
Wenger let a 20-year-old midfielder by the name of Steven Sidwell slip through his net in 2003. Reading boss Alan Pardew snapped off his hand after being told he could take the promising youngster for an initial fee of £75,000. It seems Sidwell will join Chelsea this summer when his contract expires.
2 Matthew Upson
Injury-prone he may be, but there must have been times this season when Wenger wished he had Matthew Upson to call upon to marshall his Arsenal under 12s defence. On his day Upson is among the best centre-backs in the country. He left in 2003, shortly before Sidwell, in a £3 million deal. Birmingham City doubled their money when they sold him on to West Ham.
3 David Bentley
The weedy showboater Wenger loaned out to Norwich and then sold to Blackburn has bulked up and matured considerably. Still only 22, Bentley has been on top of his game this season. It must be said that Bentley himself was eager to move away from Arsenal to a club where he could get more first-team action. Wenger allowed him to go to Ewood Park permanently in January 2006 but, with Manchester United reportedly interested, might be regretting letting ‘the new Bergkamp’ go.
4 Anthony Stokes
In July 2006 Stokes was an Arsenal reserve player on the lookout for a loan move. By December – after 16 goals in 18 games at Falkirk – it was clear that clubs were interested in taking him out of the Emirates on a permanent basis. Wenger came out guns blazing to say that Stokes would not be leaving the club. but in January he joined Sunderland in a £2 million deal.
5 Arturo Lupoli
The Italian under 21 international is another talented youngster to jump ship. After a successful loan spell at Derby County, Lupoli will move to Fiorentina before the start of next season to boost his international credentials. The 19-year-old made just one first team appearance for the Gunners.
6 Luis Boa Morte
Wenger spotted Boa Morte’s talent and made the Portuguese one of his first signings. Unfortunately, Boa Morte was flogged to Southampton before he reached his peak and it was eventually Fulham who reaped the rewards of Wenger’s purchase.
7 Fabrice Muamba
The Congolese-born captain of England under 19s is the most recent departure from the Emirates. We told you last week that Muamba had made his loan move at Birmingham a permanent one despite Wenger publicly saying that he would not be allowed to leave.
8 Sebastian Larsson
Another youngster allowed to leave to join Birmingham. Perhaps Wenger was convinced the Blues would not get promoted this season. Larsson, like Muamba, initially joined on loan, but made his move permanent in January in a £1 million deal.
9 Sol Campbell
After a troubled spell at Arsenal, the veteran centre-back was allowed to walk out of the club on a free transfer to Portsmouth. He has since rediscovered some of his best form. Wenger must have been pining for his former defensive rock while patching together makeshift Arsenal defences.
10 Jermaine Pennant
Perhaps understandably Arsenal became tired of Pennant’s off-the-field misdemeanours and shipped him off to St Andrews (aka Arsenal rejects graveyard!). The pacy winger got his career back on track with Birmingham and earned a big-money move to Liverpool. He has had an impressive first season at Anfield.