When Patrick Vieira left Arsenal in 2005 after winning the FA Cup, it marked the end of an era for the club. His departure set off a long search for a suitable replacement. After Vieira moved to Juventus for £13.75m, Arsenal’s manager, Arsène Wenger, decided to rebuild the midfield by signing a new type of player. Instead of bringing in someone with Vieira’s tough, physical presence, Wenger opted for the skillful and elegant Cesc Fabregas. Fabregas became the captain, but although he played 304 games for the club, he never quite matched Vieira’s legacy.
For years, Arsenal struggled to find the right defensive midfielder. Various players came and went, but none could fill Vieira’s shoes. Arsenal reached the Champions League final in 2006 but struggled to contend with the best teams in Europe after that. Despite some good individual performances, the team lacked the kind of midfield powerhouse Vieira had been.
In 2020, Thomas Partey was signed from Atletico Madrid, sparking hope that Arsenal had finally found their Vieira replacement. The club had previously signed 13 defensive midfielders since Vieira’s departure, and Partey was seen as a potential game-changer.
The first of these signings was Amaury Bischoff, bought for £270,000 in 2008. Bischoff made just one appearance for Arsenal before leaving the club a year later, and his time at the club is largely forgotten. Another forgettable signing was Kim Kallstrom, who joined on loan in 2014. Although he had a solid international reputation, Kallstrom arrived injured and didn’t make much of an impact, aside from scoring a penalty in an FA Cup win.
Lassana Diarra joined Arsenal in 2007 for £2.6m but played just seven league matches before leaving for Portsmouth and then Real Madrid. Krystian Bielik was another defensive midfielder bought for £2.4m, but he didn’t make much of a mark at Arsenal, only featuring twice for the senior team before moving to Derby County for a £10m fee.
Mohamed Elneny, signed for £5m, had a quiet Arsenal career. He was solid but unremarkable, contributing little beyond an occasional goal. Mathieu Flamini had two spells at the club, the first before Vieira’s departure and the second starting in 2013. Flamini was never a dominant force in midfield, but his performances were decent, especially during the 2014-2015 season.
Matteo Guendouzi, signed for £8m, showed promise but had a volatile relationship with manager Unai Emery. His fiery personality led to a falling out with teammate Neal Maupay in 2020, and he was loaned out to Hertha Berlin. Lucas Torreira was signed for £26m in 2018 and looked like a good acquisition, with his strong tackling and energy. However, his form dipped, and he was loaned out to Atletico Madrid in 2020. The £26m investment did not turn out to be great business.
Abou Diaby was often compared to Vieira due to his similar style, but injuries ruined his career. Despite showing glimpses of his potential, Diaby spent more time on the sidelines than on the pitch, missing 250 matches due to injury. Alex Song, bought for £1m in 2005, was a strong presence in midfield and had good chemistry with Robin van Persie. Song played for Arsenal for six years and was solid but never the defensive midfielder the team needed.
Francis Coquelin was another player who stood out in midfield. Signed in 2008, he wasn’t given much of a chance until 2014 when he had a breakthrough season. Coquelin formed a solid partnership with Santi Cazorla and helped Arsenal secure important victories. Granit Xhaka, bought for £35m, had his ups and downs. Although not the traditional defensive midfielder, Xhaka became a regular fixture in the team. His performances were often criticized, especially when he was stripped of the captaincy in 2019. However, under Mikel Arteta, he has turned his form around and become a more reliable player.
Finally, Arsenal’s most significant signing was Thomas Partey. Signed for £45m from Atletico Madrid in 2020, Partey was expected to bring the qualities that had been missing since Vieira left. He was a strong, box-to-box midfielder who could break up opposition attacks and contribute going forward. While he hadn’t played a match for Arsenal at the time of the signing, his arrival sparked excitement among fans who hoped he could provide the stability and leadership that the team had been lacking for years.
In the end, Thomas Partey’s arrival represented Arsenal’s long-awaited answer to their midfield problems. With his strong, dynamic style of play, he embodied the qualities that had made Vieira such a legendary figure at the club. The hope was that Partey could lead Arsenal back to the top of English and European football. Fans and pundits alike eagerly awaited his debut, hoping he would be the player to take Arsenal to new heights.
The journey to find Vieira’s replacement had been long and filled with disappointment, but Partey’s arrival offered a new sense of optimism. Arsenal fans were hopeful that with Partey in the midfield, the team could finally challenge for the major trophies that had eluded them for so many years. Whether he could live up to the high expectations and lead Arsenal back to the top would only become clear in the seasons to come.
