Chelsea vs Arsenal: Ranking the top 5 African players to play for either club in recent years
Chelsea will take on league toppers Arsenal in one of the most high-profile fixtures in the Premier League this weekend.
The Blues will be hoping to get their pound of revenge after losing scandalously to the Gunners at home last season by 4-2. Mikel Arteta's side also handed Chelsea a 4-0 thrashing during pre-season.
Both teams currently had contrasting starts to the 2022-23 Premier League campaign. Arsenal head into the encounter at the top of the league table while Chelsea are sixth and 10 points behind their London rivals.
All eyes on Sunday! 👀
#CheArs https://t.co/jDWPf6xmdi
The two teams also have a good history of having top African players in their squads in recent years. Some of these players have played a key role in fashioning their team's success. As such, this article will take a look at the top five players to represent either club.
#5 Emmanuel Adebayor - Arsenal
The Togolese striker is arguably one of the best African players to play for Arsenal in recent years, despite spending three seasons with the Gunners.
Recall that the north London club signed Emmanuel Adebayor in January 2006 from French club Monaco, for a transfer fee in the region of £3 million.
The 2008 African Footballer of the Year went on to make a combined total of 142 appearances for Arsenal. He also registered a total of 62 goals and 19 assists.
2008: Magical run from Theo Walcott leads to Emmanuel Adebayor goal at Anfield! 5⃣ 2008: Magical run from Theo Walcott leads to Emmanuel Adebayor goal at Anfield!
@Arsenal | #UCL https://t.co/Af5rfCArZw
Adebayor went on to play for a couple of top European teams after leaving the Gunners, including Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, and Real Madrid.
#4 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - Arsenal & Chelsea
The Gabonese player is regarded as one of Africa's biggest exports in recent years, judging by his performances in Europe.
He is also among the few names that have been privileged to represent Premier League clubs Arsenal and Chelsea over the years.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joined Arsenal from the German club side Borussia Dortmund for a transfer fee in the region of £56 million in January 2018.
He also registered a total of 92 goals and 21 assists for the Gunners, making 163 appearances in all competitions and winning two trophies.
Wanted your thoughts on whether you think Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will celebrate if he scores a goal against his old team Arsenal on Sunday? What do you think? https://t.co/j2TNOlfG0X
The 2015 African Footballer of the Year joined the Blues this summer from Spanish giants Barcelona. All eyes will be on Aubameyang when his team faces the Gunners this weekend.
#3 Nwankwo Kanu - Arsenal
The Nigerian veteran is widely considered one of the greatest African players to play for Arsenal and also in the Premier League.
Nwankwo Kanu joined the Gunners in 1999 from Italian giants Inter Milan for a transfer fee in the region of £4.15 million. He spent a total of five seasons with Arsenal and was part of the 2004 Invincibles.
🗣 “And what’s Kanu going to do HEREEEEEEEE. ITS AN AMAZING HAT-TRICK”
Happy 43rd birthday to the legendary Nwankwo Kanu 🙌
That hat-trick against Chelsea - still one of the greatest hat-tricks in Premier League history 🔥
#AFC #Kanu
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Kanu scored 44 goals and registered 29 assists for Arsenal in 196 appearances. He was also famously known for scoring a fifteen-minute hat trick against Chelsea in 1999, with the Gunners winning the game by 3-2.
#2 Samuel Eto'o - Chelsea
The Cameroonian football legend is Africa's most decorated player to play in Europe due to what he was able to achieve in his career.
Samuel Eto'o also had a short spell in the Premier League when he signed for the Blues in 2013 on a one-year deal.
The four-time African Footballer of the Year went on to score 12 goals and registered a further seven assists in 35 appearances for the Blues.
Samuel Eto’o
Kieran GibbsOn This Day in 2014, Chelsea destroyed Arsenal with a 6-0 win in Arsene Wenger's 1000th game.
⚽ Samuel Eto’o
⚽ Andre Schürrle
🔴 Kieran Gibbs
⚽ Eden Hazard
⚽ Oscar (2)
⚽ Mohamed Salah
https://t.co/xWjyveKgHt
Eto'o was among Jose Mourinho's team that handed Arsenal a 6-0 thrashing during Arsene Wenger's 1000th game in charge of the Gunners. The striker scored the opener for the Blues in the fifth minute.
#1 Didier Drogba - Chelsea
A list of top African players to play for either Chelsea or Arsenal just wouldn't be complete without mentioning Ivorian legend Didier Drogba.
He is widely considered one of the greatest strikers of his generation and is also among the all-time Blues legends.
Drogba joined Chelsea in the summer of 2004 from Marseille and went on to score 164 goals for the Blues in 381 appearances. He is also among the few African players to score up to 100 Premier League goals (104).
Eight years ago today, Didier Drogba returned to Chelsea for his second stint at the Bridge 👑 https://t.co/WkYW8JbyJR
The Ivorian legend also has a prolific goal-scoring record against north London side Arsenal. He netted 13 times against the Gunners in 15 meetings with the Blues.