Arsenal and Manchester City have had numerous connections over the past 30 years, especially with a number of recent high-profile transfers between the two clubs.
Bacary Sagna joined Manuel Pellegrini’s side after his contract expired, we have picked out several Arsenal players who left north London for Manchester City and vise versa over the years.
Samir Nasri
France international Samir Nasri flourished under Arsene Wenger’s guidance and had three productive years with the club before joining City in 2011 for £25 million. He played 125 times for Arsene Wenger’s side and was nominated for both the PFA Players’ Player of the Year and PFA Young Player of the Year award after his breakthrough season in 2010/11.
Gael Clichy
France international Gael Clichy had to wait four years before finally winning a regular starting berth at Arsenal where Ashley Cole had previously blocked his path into the senior side. Clichy then became first choice left-back for the next four seasons before joining Manchester City in 2011 having made 264 appearances for the Gunners.
Emmanuel Adebayor
Emmanuel Adebayor had a love/hate relationship with the Arsenal fans for whom he played in front of for three years. He scored 62 goals for the Gunners before moving to City in 2009 and controversially celebrated in front of the Arsenal fans after scoring against his old club. He stayed with City for three years, but was loaned out to Real Madrid and Spurs during that period.
Kolo Toure
A member of Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ team, Toure spent seven seasons with the Gunners and made more than 300 appearances during his time at the club. Toure was also one of the defenders who helped the Arsenal team reach the 2006 UEFA Champions League final after keeping 10 consecutive clean sheets. The Ivory Coast international joined City in 2009 for £14 million.
Patrick Vieira
World Cup winner Patrick Vieira finished his playing career with City before becoming the Blues’ Football Development Executive – but it is with Arsenal that he is perhaps best remembered as a player having chalked up 406 appearances during a nine-year period. He was an integral part of the Gunners’ numerous domestic and European successes in that period.
David Seaman
Former England No.1 David Seaman was goalkeeper at Arsenal for 13 years, playing 656 games for the Gunners during an illustrious career. He joined City in 2003, playing 26 times for the Blues before a shoulder injury forced his retirement from football.
Tommy Caton
Former City youth skipper Tommy Caton broke into the Blues’ first team aged 16 and went to play 198 times for the Club between 1979 and 1983. He then joined Arsenal for a fee of £500,000 and went on to play almost 100 games during his three years at Highbury before later playing for Charlton and Oxford.
David Rocastle
David Rocastle – ‘Rocky’ – was a firm favourite during his time with Arsenal and City, though it was with the Gunners that he enjoyed his best period. Rocastle spent eight years at Highbury, playing more than 300 games before moving to Leeds United. He was swapped with David White in 1993 and spent one season with City before joining Chelsea.
Joe Mercer
Like Alan Ball in later years, Joe Mercer played for Arsenal and then managed City. With World War 2 interrupting his Everton career, he moved to Highbury in 1946, spent nine years with the club and made 275 appearances. A decade later, having moved into management with Sheffield United and Aston Villa, he was appointed as manager of the Blues and oversaw the most successful period in the Club’s history.
Paul Dickov
The former Scotland international joined the youth ranks of Arsenal in 1989 but found first team chances hard to come by with the likes of Ian Wright at the club. After loan spells at both Luton and Brighton, he left Arsenal in 1996 having made 26 appearances and scoring seven goals. The reported fee was rumoured to be in the region of £750,000 and £1 million.
Niall Quinn
Quinn was promoted to the Arsenal first team after scoring 18 goals in 18 games for the reserve team in the 1985/86 season. The signing of Alan Smith in the 1987 close season meant that Quinn found opportunities hard to come by and he subsequently submitted a written transfer request at the start of the 1989-90 season. City signed Quinn for £800,000 in March 1990.
Other connections include Nicolas Anelka, Brian Kidd, Sylvinho, Brian Marwood, Alan Ball, David Platt and ... the list is endless!
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