Ranking Arsenal’s greatest ever centre-backs

Highlights

• Arsenal have had some of the best defenders of the Premier League era, while Mikel Arteta’s current side have an exceptional defensive record.
• Four of the players on the list played for the Gunners during their time at Highbury.
• William Saliba also makes it onto the list despite playing just one full season in the Premier League.

Arsenal have been blessed with some of the Premier League’s finest ever players, and it’s no surprise that the north Londoners have achieved some incredible success with them along the way – not least that historic Invincibles season. Mikel Arteta’s side will be hoping to emulate previous Gunners teams and lift the league title sometime soon, and it will no doubt be done off the back of a formidable partnership between William Saliba and Gabriel.

But where do the towering duo rank among the club’s history? Given there are several names competing for that number one spot, here’s a look at Arsenal’s greatest ever centre-backs of the Premier League era.

9 Thomas Vermaelen

If Thomas Vermaelen was signed to become the kind of stereotypical elegant defender whose skills had been honed at Ajax, then his incredible goal-scoring exploits in the first few weeks and months of his career raised some eyebrows. The former Belgium international had a sweet left-foot that aside from being incredibly useful at trying to play out from the back, could often pop up with some impressive long-range strikes when bounding forward.

While the defender may not have had the most outstanding of careers at the Emirates – injuries playing a major part in ensuring he never really had consistency or a rhythm of games – he was certainly one of the better centre-backs the Gunners could call upon in those early years at the new stadium.

8 Laurent Koscielny

One of the most consistent players of the Emirates era, Laurent Koscielny’s development from someone who could often be rash and out of position to a measured and pacy central defender was something to see. The Frenchman would even earn captaincy honours at the Emirates, while he scored the crucial equaliser in the thrilling comeback victory over Hull City in the FA Cup final to end Arsenal’s hunt for another trophy under Arsene Wenger.

The centre-back’s final season at the club came under Unai Emery when he pushed himself to the limits and through injury to guide the Gunners into the Europa League final, but couldn’t help them past Chelsea.

7 Gabriel

Arguably one of the most under-appreciated players of this current Arsenal side, it’s telling that the north Londoners have looked more secure ever since Mikel Arteta brought him back into the team after the first couple of weeks of the Premier League season – a point Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville was keen to make.

They have to keep Rice fit, the idea of not playing Gabriel Magalhaes at the start of the season was an experiment that won’t happen again. Those two centre-halves – Gabriel and William Saliba – were pivotal against City, they were outstanding playing against the best player in the world in that position (Erling Haaland).

Gabriel has proven to be outstanding value for money since making the move from Ligue 1 side Lille, and can be seen as one of the vocal leaders at the back. While his current centre-back partner may get most of the plaudits, Arsenal fans certainly don’t take their big Brazilian for granted. His dominance in the air has seen him become the highest-scoring defender in the Premier League since his arrival, completely rampaging his way into thumping a header into the next from a set-piece. In a campaign where Arsenal have looked so dominant from such situations, it’s Gabriel who has been the biggest proponent of that.

6 Martin Keown

The man perhaps best known by the wider Premier League community as the Arsenal star who got in Ruud van Nistelrooy’s face after his missed penalty in that unforgettable clash at Old Trafford with Manchester United, Martin Keown was more than just the resident hardman. The former England international maybe never got quite the same love as some of his other contemporaries at the time, but was always a reliable, tough-nosed figure who Arsene Wenger could always depend on when needed. And it wasn’t just his defensive ability that had the iconic French boss pleasantly surprised about.

First, what I realised was that I was in a special club with class, tradition and a certain desire to behave above average. What I discovered was that I had an idea of the players – Adams, Keown, Dixon, Winterburn etc. – I thought they were limited but discovered they were much better than I expected. So I thought I could play beautiful football with them.

5 Per Mertesacker

The big ‘friendly’ German, Per Mertesacker was signed in the summer of 2011 as Arsenal looked to rebuild following the heartbreaking exits of the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri. The towering central defender quickly emerged as a fans favourite, not least netting a wonderful header against Tottenham to seal his place among the Gunners faithful. Forming one-half of one of Arsenal’s best centre-back partnerships in recent times with Laurent Koscielny, Mertesacker overcame his lack of pace with intelligent positioning and belligerent defending.

His performance in the 2017 FA Cup final victory over Chelsea was undeniably his greatest moment in an Arsenal shirt, with the German barely featuring at all during the entire Premier League season before marshalling the back-line alongside Rob Holding to keep Diego Costa and Chelsea quiet. Such was his display, that people have dubbed it ‘The Mertesacker final’.

4 Kolo Toure

One of the signings of the Premier League era, Kolo Toure’s transformation from relative unknown to Invincible, was yet another statement on just how good Arsene Wenger was at making magic in the transfer market. The Ivorian’s blend of pace and power made him the modern-day centre-back even back in the early 2000s, and even took on the captain’s armband in his later years at the club. The centre-back somewhat soured his relationship with Arsenal fans with his move to a big-spending Manchester City, but there’s no questioning the impact he did make, especially during his time playing for the Gunners at Highbury.

3 William Saliba

The fact William Saliba has made his way onto third place on this list after just over one full season playing at Arsenal, is a major statement of just how good the defender is. The France international has quickly become the most dominant centre-half of the Emirates era, and you only have to look at the clip of him completely bodying Erling Haaland in the 1-0 win over Manchester City earlier in the 2023/2024 season to see why that label is so fitting. It’s a point Gunners legend David O’Leary has been quick to make.

He’s a Rolls-Royce. He’s quick, calm, reads the game well. He’s good in the air and he’s strong. He’s a good passer of the ball and can step out. The big quality is that extra gear to get the ball. Where other defenders might be steaming across to kick it out of play, he’s able to get there in time to play it back to the keeper or another defender.

Such is his already massive importance, that the Gunners’ title charge last season completely faltered when he went down with injury in the Europa League against Sporting, and it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that once again he will be crucial to their hopes of lifting silverware at the end of the campaign. Given how Saliba has started his Arsenal career though, you wouldn’t put it past him moving up this list very soon.

2 Sol Campbell

Had it not been for a cruel turnaround in Paris, Sol Campbell would have gone down in Arsenal history as the man to have scored the winner in the Champions League final against Barcelona. The centre-back’s legacy may not have that elusive European trophy to his name, but as a member of the Invincibles, and as the man who left bitter rivals Tottenham to join the club on a free transfer, Campbell will go down in history as an Arsenal icon. And when you look at Arsene Wenger’s comments about him during the press conference announcing his signing, you can see exactly why the Gunners saw the deal as such a coup.

I was told many times that I had to improve my defence. I tried to attract him here because he is the best. After chatting to him I felt he is a very ambitious guy who wants to improve and play at the top level. That convinced me he is the right player for us.

1 Tony Adams

Mr Arsenal. Need we say more? Tony Adams isn’t just recognised as arguably Arsenal’s greatest ever defender, but is also in the conversation as one of the Premier League’s very best too. Spending his entire 19-year playing career with the Gunners, Adams was made club captain at the age of just 21, and would hold onto the armband for another 14 years before his retirement. A number of trophies under his belt, the former England star also had the distinct honour and achievement of winning the league title in three different decades, doing so in the 80s, 90s and 2000s.

Just like Thierry Henry and Arsene Wenger, the Gunners legend has his own statue outside the Emirates, and it speaks volumes of the kind of esteem and respect he is held within Arsenal circles. Now with a place in the top-flight’s Hall of Fame, Adams’ place in history is secured, and his place at the top of this list is very much nailed on too.

All stats courtesy of Transfermarkt