Decade of difficulty: Ten pivotal Arsenal transfers

by Motez Bishara, CNN

Updated 1709 GMT (0109 HKT) June 1, 2017

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Arsene Wenger -- seen celebrating his record seventh FA Cup win in May -- has arguably more control over his team than any other active Premier League manager. Since arriving from Japan in 1996, Wenger has also achieved three Premier League titles, a Champions League final appearance and 20 successive top four finishes at Arsenal. Yet the Frenchman never had his ability questioned more than during the tumultuous 2016-2017 season. CNN looks back on ten pivotal Arsenal transfers over the past decade. (Transfer figures provided by Transfermarkt) Mike Hewitt/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images

Arsenal's all-time record transfer fee of £40 million was spent on former Real Madrid man Ozil in 2013. Although his four seasons at the club have yielded three FA Cup trophies, Ozil has suffered fits adapting to the English game. After sputtering out of the gate when played as an out of position winger, his league leading 19 assists in 2016 confirmed his arrival in the Premier League. Ozil's languid demeanor, however, is a constant target for critics. Julian Finney/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images

Alexis Sanchez is a hero to Chileans but may soon be a heart breaker to North Londoners. The former Barcelona man, who arrived in 2014 for £36.1 million, has led Chile to two successive Copa America victories, but has yet to seriously challenge for a Premier League title. The fact that his contract extension negotiations at Arsenal stalled last season is a worrying sign for Arsenal fans, who have grown accustomed to their leading scorers leaving for greener pastures. Tony Marshall/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images

Swiss holding midfielder Xhaka arrived from Borussia Mönchengladbach for the second-highest transfer fee in Arsenal history, £38.25 million. He was slated to be the long-term solution to the position which has been an enigma at the club since Patrick Vieira left in 2005. Xhaka struggled for much of 2016-2017, committing sloppy fouls resulting in 12 yellow cards and two red cards, before showing promise late in the season. Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images

German center-back Mustafi broke the transfer fee for an Arsenal defender when he arrived from Valencia for a staggering £34.85 fee last summer. Although Mustafi has supplanted aging countryman Per Mertesacker as a starter, the Arsenal defense remains suspect in big moments. IAN KINGTON/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

Welbeck was purchased just before the transfer deadline of September 2014 from Manchester United for £17 million, but injuries have seen him play sparingly in North London. The 26-year-old England international has made just 69 appearances in three seasons, notching 17 goals and 12 assists in all competitions. Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images

Of all the players that have come and gone during Wegner's reign, none vocalized more displeasure while still employed by the club than Van Persie. The 2012 Premier League Golden Boot winner with Arsenal repeated the feat the following season with Manchester United -- where he transferred for £26.1 million -- to go along with a Premier League title. Arsenal did not have another 30-goal scorer until Alexis Sanchez pulled the feat in 2016-2017. ANDREW YATES/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

In 2003, Wenger debuted Fabregas at 16, still a team record, and started him in the 2006 UEFA Champions League final match against his home club Barcelona at 19. Fabregas went on to captain the Gunners during his eight-year spell in North London, before transferring to Barcelona for £28.9 million in 2011. Still only 30, Fabregas returned to London to play for arch-rivals Chelsea in 2014, where he recently notched a second Premier League title with the club. Phil Cole/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images

Nasri drew the ire of Arsenal faithful when he dubbed the fans as "not that passionate," before bolting for a fee of £23.4 million to Manchester City where he won two Premier League titles. The creative midfielder showed signs of brilliance during his three-year spell at the Emirates, making the £13.6 million fee paid to Marseille in 2008 a smart buy. Jamie McDonald/Getty Images/file

The diminutive Russian scored some pivotal goals at Arsenal -- none bigger than his Champions League winner against Barcelona in 2011 (which he is seen celebrating on the right, with Nicklas Bendtner). Arshavin was bought for a then-club record fee of £14.03 from Zenit St. Petersburg in 2008. After scoring 23 goals in 105 appearances for the Gunners, he returned to Zenit on a free transfer in 2013. LLUIS GENE/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

Known more for his flamboyant hair extensions than goal scoring prowess at the Emirates, Gervinho was purchased with great fanfare from Lille for £10.2 million in 2011. The Ivorian promptly drew a red card in his Premiership debut, and scored just nine goals in two seasons at Arsenal before being sold to AS Roma for £6.8 million two seasons later. Alex Livesey/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images