On 4 July, 2000, Arsenal spent £5m on Marseille’s Robert Pires and it was one of the best transfers the club have ever completed.
Having arrived as World Cup and European Championship winner, his collection of medals continued to grow in north London during his six glorious years. He played 284 times, scored 84 goals and won the Premier League twice in addition to three FA Cups.
But it could have been so different for the creative Ligue 1 star.
"I would have preferred to have played for Real Madrid, but the words of Wenger gave me more security,” Pires explained upon his signing.