A total of 28 players have represented both Man City and Arsenal and although the likes of Brian Kidd and David Seaman are among those 28, due to City’s rise in importance this list is weighted more to the recent past meaning those names didn’t make the cut.
So who exactly were the most impactful players across both clubs?
Top 5: Players Who Played For Arsenal & Man City
5 – Niall Quinn
We had to get an Irishman in somewhere didn’t we and nobody better for that than Dubliner Niall Quinn for that honour (apologies to Eddie McGoldrick but you were a bit off the top five).
Niall Quinn came through the Arsenal Academy before breaking into the Senior Squad in 1985 where he would stay until 1990 when he ironically moved to Man City. During his time with Arsenal, he played 93 games and scored 20 goals and was a part of the 1986-1987 League Cup winning squad.
Despite that he is better known for his City stint where he was a regular fixture in the team for seven seasons with the highlight coming when he won their Player of the Year award in 1991, before departing for Sunderland he scored 76 times in 240 games.
4 – Nicolas Anelka
Arguably the least surprising name on this list for both his raw ability and also the fact he’s one of the best-known “journeymen” in modern football due to his uniquely complex character which saw him constantly on the move and also nicknamed “The Sulk”.
Anelka was a product of the PSG youth system, but he transferred to Arsenal at the tender age of 17 in 1997 for the not-so-insignificant fee at the time of £500,000. While he took a while to break through properly he became a regular in his second season before having a brilliant third season where he scored 19 goals in 46 games which earned him a move to Real Madrid. He won a Premier League, FA Cup and Community Shield during his time at the club.
Following a season at Real Madrid, another stint at PSG and a loan at Liverpool he signed for Man City in 2002 where he would stay until 2005. During those three years, he scored 45 times in 103 games.
3 – Patrick Vieira
Next on this list is Frenchman Patrick Vieira who is one of the greatest Premier League midfielders of all time. Had this list been based on impact at a single club vieira would have won this list by a canter as probably the only one who is an EPL “great” though his impact at City was lesser which is why he’s only #3
During his 9-year stint with Arsenal, he played 405 games in all competitions including 279 Premier League games where he won 1 golden Premier League trophy, 2 more Premier League titles and 4 FA Cups before departing in 2004.
Vieira towards the end of his career signed for Man City in 2009-2010 and he would stay for his final two seasons in professional football playing 46 times and playing a part in a historic 2010-2011 FA Cup success which laid the groundwork for their seminal Premier League title win the following season.
2 – Samir Nasri
#2 on this list is another French midfielder who was better known for his attacking traits, Samir Nasri is the most recent player to have played professional football on this list having only retired in 2020.
Nasri started his career with his boyhood club Marseille playing professionally from 2004 to 2008 before he made the switch to Arsenal. During his 3-year stint with Arsenal he came closest to silverware when he was part of their 2010-2011 League Cup runners-up squad at the club he scored 27 goals and assisted 15 in 125 appearances.
However, he made the controversial switch to Man City from Arsenal in 2011 where he played for 6 seasons winning the 2011-2012 and the 2013-2014 Premier League, the 2013-2014 League Cup, a 2012 Community Shield and coming runners-up in the 2013 FA Cup Final. During those successes, he contributed 27 goals and 37 assists in 176 games.
1 – Kolo Toure
Taking the top spot on the list is former Ivory Coast defender Kolo Toure who is the second most recent retiree on this list having only finished his career in 2017 following a stint with Celtic and 15 years in the professional game.
Kolo joined Arsenal from ASEC Mimosas on a long-term contract for a fee of £150,000 on 14 February 2002 after a short trial and would go on to be one of the club's greatest-ever defenders across 7 seasons he played 326 games for the club with the highlight being the 2003-2004 invincible seasons he also won the 2003 and 2004 FA Cup, 2002 and 2004 Community Shield and was runner-up in the 2007 League Cup and 2006 Champions League.
He moved to Man City in 2009 where he spent 4 seasons and played 102 games for the club with the highlight being when they won the Premier League in the 2011-2012 season (becoming the only player to win a Premier League with both) as well as the 2012 Community Shield.
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