Arsene Wenger has failed to do a lot of things in the last decade or so. Winning the Premier League title will surely be up there at the top, though it is not the only one. The French manager has never been able to replace some of his top stars from the team that were unbeaten in the 2003-2004 season and earned the title of the “Invincibles”. This has been one of the major reasons for his failure to succeed in the top competitions across Europe over the years.
One of the main players in his squad back then was former skipper Patrick Vieira, who was eventually sold to Serie A giants Juventus back in 2005 and later to Inter Milan.
The French manager has not been able to replace his compatriot, who is currently the head coach of New York City FC after working with the reserves at Manchester City.
Here are five players that Wenger tried to sign over the years, in order to replace Viera, though he eventually failed to do so:
5. Michael Essien:
Though not many fans might not be aware of this interest possibly, there was a time when Wenger was plotting a move for Chelsea’s Michael Essien, who played a crucial part in Jose Mourinho’s initial spell in charge of the Blues. The 33-year-old Ghana international was instrumental in helping the west London outfit win a lot of titles during his time at the club and eventually left to join AC Milan after his best years were behind him. Arsenal wanted him for quite some time, though a deal never went through.
4. Sven Bender:
Another midfield superstar, who was quite similar to Viera and was linked with Arsenal was Borussia Dortmund’s Sven Bender. Though his brother Lars was also linked with the Gunners, it was Sven who could have played a similar role to the former France international. The ex-German international is now 27 and was a wanted man at one point in time in his career with the Premier League giants chasing him, as Wenger looked to fortify his midfield. However, a move did not happen and eventually the result was the same as always.
3. Yaya Toure:
One of the main players that made a huge difference in making Manchester City an English powerhouse was former Ivory Coast international Yaya Toure. The 33-year-old former Barcelona man moved to the Etihad back in 2010, though at that point of time he was wanted by Arsenal as well. The midfielder was expected to be offered as part of the deal which saw Cesc Fabregas move to the Nou Camp, though the move was not completed and he joined City instead to reunite with his elder brother Kolo.
2. Geoffrey Kondogbia:
Last summer was the time when Wenger could have really signed a few players and made a huge difference to his side’s chances of winning titles. The Frenchman was in the hunt to sign more mid-fielders and Geoffrey Kondogbia of AS Monaco was named as one of the potential targets. A fee of around £25m was what Arsenal were ready to make, as their rivals Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool were all in the hunt to sign the star from the Ligue 1 giants, who eventually ended up signing for Inter. Wenger had once again failed to deliver on his promise of adding more quality to his midfield.
1. Morgan Schneiderlin:
The player on top of this list is yet another Frenchman, Morgan Schneiderlin. The former Southampton man was on the verge of signing for the north London outfit last summer as well, though Wenger could not make a deal happen. Prior to his eventual move to Manchester United, the 26 year old defensive midfielder was linked with Arsenal, though a move did happen. The player himself had stated that he would have preferred a move to the Emirates, rather than Old Trafford, though for some reason Wenger was reluctant to pay the Saints’ asking price. Wenger’s compatriot could have made a huge difference to way the season did shape up, had he signed for Arsenal, who eventually finished second behind champions Leicester City.
Arsenal Women host Manchester United on Saturday in a crucial six pointer for Champions League qualification. The Gunners sit just one point above United in the WSL table and victory at Emirates Stadium would give them a strong buffer, while defeat leaves them playing catch up in the race for Europe.
The match marks Arsenal’s return from the winter break following a busy week that saw Renee Slegers sign a new contract and Jodie Taylor promoted to Technical Director. However, the immediate focus is on securing three points against Marc Skinner’s side in what promises to be a tense encounter.
Kick-off: 12:30 GMT, Saturday, January 11, 2026
Venue: Emirates Stadium, London
TV: Sky Sports (UK)
Cooney Cross Absent For Personal Reasons
Arsenal will be without Kyra Cooney Cross who has returned to Australia for personal reasons. Daphne van Domselaar is not quite ready to return from a quad injury while Chloe Kelly remains out with a knee problem. Jenna Nighswonger will not be in the matchday squad as she negotiates a loan move.
New signing Smilla Holmberg from Hammarby will be in the squad alongside recalled goalkeeper Naomi Williams. Manu Zinsberger and Katie Reid are out with ACL injuries. The absence of Cooney Cross means Mariona will likely drop into the deeper midfield role she has occupied for much of the last year.
United Strengthened in January
Manchester United have been busy in the transfer window, adding full back Hanna Lundkvist from San Diego Wave and centre forward Lea Schuller from Bayern Munich. Skinner was dealt a poor hand over the summer with a very small squad handling Champions League qualifiers and the group phase.
Predicted Lineup:
Arsenal (4-3-3): Borbe; Fox, Williamson, Catley, McCabe; Little, Mariona, Maanum; Mead, Russo, Smith
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Tullis Joyce; Lundkvist, Le Tissier, Janssen, Sandberg; Miyazawa, Zigiotti; Park, Malard, Awujo; Schuller
Also read: Arsenal Women disable social media comments after sexist backlash to new signing
Arsenal confirmed on January 9, 2026 that Jodie Taylor has been appointed as the club’s first ever Technical Director.
The 39-year-old former England striker moves up from her existing role as Technical Services Manager, a position she has held since September 2023 following her retirement from professional football.
Taylor’s promotion comes on the same day Arsenal announced Renee Slegers’ new contract extension through 2029, creating a strategic restructuring of the women’s football department.
A Decade Long Arsenal Connection
Taylor’s relationship with Arsenal spans ten years since first joining as a player in 2016. She scored 10 goals in 17 appearances during her initial spell before returning on a short-term deal in March 2023. Taylor earned 50 plus England caps during her international career and won the Golden Boot at Euro 2017.
She represented her country at the 2015 Women’s World Cup finishing third and played for multiple elite clubs including Lyon, Orlando Pride, Portland Thorns and San Diego Wave throughout her career.
Strategic Structural Development
Taylor’s new role bridges critical areas of football operations including recruitment, analysis, coaching and performance support. She will work closely with Renee Slegers on a daily basis as the Technical Director, providing structural support for coaching decisions and squad development.
Director of Women’s Football Clare Wheatley praised Taylor’s appointment as integral to continued development of the program as Arsenal challenges for major trophies consistently. Wheatley will now focus on upward management across UEFA, FIFA and domestic boards while Taylor handles day to day operations.
Building a High Performance Environment
Taylor expressed immense pride stepping into her new position, emphasizing Arsenal’s remarkable growth over the past decade. She committed to nurturing a high-performance environment where players, coaching staff and support teams have the right tools to deliver at the highest level.
Her appointment represents investment in female leadership within Arsenal’s technical infrastructure, aligning with the club’s commitment to developing their women’s program systematically and strategically moving forward into their next phase.
Also read: Arsenal Women disable social media comments after sexist backlash to new signing
Arsenal confirmed on January 9, 2026 that head coach Renee Slegers has signed a new long-term contract extending through the summer of 2029.
The 36-year-old Dutch coach was previously due to exit at the end of the 2025-26 season but now commits three and a half additional years to the club. Her extension rewards an extraordinary debut season where she guided Arsenal to historic UEFA Women’s Champions League victory after beating Barcelona 1-0 in the Lisbon final.
From Academy Player to Champions League Winner
Renee Slegers’ connection to Arsenal dates back decades. She played in the club’s academy as a teenager and watched Arsenal claim their previous Champions League trophy in 2007 from the stands. Her return to the club came in summer 2023 as assistant coach following two years leading Swedish club Rosengard where she won back-to-back Damallsvenskan titles.
She stepped into the interim role in October 2024 when Jonas Eidevall departed and impressed immediately with an 11-match unbeaten run. That performance earned her permanent appointment in January 2025, and by May 2025 she had delivered historic Champions League glory.
Arsenal’s Long-Term Vision
Slegers told club media that her journey from academy player to Champions League winning head coach represents immense pride. She stated the club has much to achieve together in the coming seasons. Arsenal Director of Women’s Football Clare Wheatley described Slegers as an elite coach with capabilities to lead continued title challenges.
Chief Executive Richard Garlick praised her impact driving standards and progress toward consistent top-level competition.
Jodie Taylor Joins as Technical Director
The announcement accompanied confirmation that former England international Jodie Taylor has been appointed Arsenal’s first ever women’s technical director. Taylor, who retired in 2023 after two Arsenal playing spells, will work closely with Slegers on recruitment, analysis and specialisation. Her role bridges previously disconnected recruitment and technical departments creating stronger operational cohesion.
Arsenal continues their title defence facing Manchester United on January 11 with five trophies remaining in play this season.
Also read: Arsenal star Kyra Cooney-Cross returns to Australia after mother’s terminal cancer diagnosis
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