Classic transfer: Arsenal sign Patrick Vieira from Milan in 1996

He was unknown when he made the decision to follow Arsene Wenger to Arsenal in 1996, but Patrick Vieira eventually reshaped the Gunners' midfield.

If it hadn't been for the manager's persistence, the young Milan midfielder may never have graced the Highbury turf, as he was all set to join Ajax when Wenger phoned him.

“He was in Holland, he was there to sign but I knew his agents,” Wenger explained to Arsenal.com. “I spoke to Patrick and said, ‘Please, stop. Come to Arsenal.’”

And that was all it required, with Vieira hopping on the next flight from Amsterdam to London to seal his £3.5m transfer on 14 August.

Nowadays, it is common to hear Arsenal fans bemoan the fact they lack the presence of a midfielder in the mould of the Frenchman, who quickly became a powerhouse in the middle of the park.

His battles against Man United skipper Roy Keane became the stuff of legend, while his supporters fell in love with the player's will to win, as well as his strength and creativity on the ball.

In nine years at the club, Vieira played 406 times and scored 33 goals, inherinting the captain's armband from Tony Adams in 2002.

He won three Premier League titles and the FA Cup four times, leaving a hole that has never quite been filled in the midfield when he joined Juventus in 2005 for £13.75m.