Fierce Rivals, Great Business Partners – Chelsea and Arsenal

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Fierce rivals in London, Arsenal and Chelsea, are also very well known for their business away from the grounds, with both clubs helping each other with players. 

One of the biggest draws of crowds in London from the ticket marketplace will undoubtedly be Stamford Bridge and the Emirates. 

But these two clubs have found a working relationship in the modern day to have smooth business transactions.  And this goes way back in time. 

The first example of a direct Chelsea to Arsenal transfer arrived back in 1953 as Billy Dickson traded west for north London. Since then, 17 senior players have moved directly between the two clubs, the majority of which involve the Gunners mopping up some of the Blues’ unwanted talent.

We’ve already seen Kepa Arrizabalaga trade Stamford Bridge for the Emirates this summer, and the Spaniard is set to be joined by winger Noni Madueke. 

It’s a transfer that has divided opinion among Arsenal supporters, to say the least, not just because the Gunners haven’t had too much success when dipping into the Blues’ talent pool.

Here’s how every player who moved directly from Chelsea to Arsenal in the Premier League era fared.

William Gallas

The French defender remains the only player to complete the big London club trifecta. Gallas was a part of the deal that brought Ashley Cole to Chelsea, and he spent four years with Arsenal between 2006 and 2010.

Gallas, who appeared 159 times in the Premier League for the Blues, racked up over 100 league games in Arsenal colours, oddly donning the No. 10 shirt after Dennis Bergkamp’s retirement.

His time at the Emirates was a mixed bag, with controversy blighting his time as captain. Gallas was stripped of the armband after his outburst in the wake of a 2–2 draw with Birmingham City in 2008—the game that involved Eduardo’s horrific leg break. He departed as a free agent and all but ruined any relationship with supporters by later joining Spurs.

Lassana Diarra

Diarra’s bizarre career would take him to Real Madrid via Portsmouth and Paris Saint-Germain via Al Jazira Club. He was gifted enough to represent Europe’s best without ever being regarded as a star, but he failed to make the grade in the English capital.

Chelsea were happy to let Diarra leave at the end of the 2007 summer transfer window, with Arsenal acquiring his services for a small fee on Deadline Day. However, after making just 13 Premier League appearances for the Blues, the midfielder appeared seven times in the league under Arsène Wenger’s tutelage.

His early struggle for regular minutes convinced Diarra to jump ship just months into his Gunners career, and he joined Pompey in January 2008.

Yossi Benayoun

Benayoun’s eight-year Premier League career spanned four clubs. After starring at West Ham and playing an underrated role for Rafael Benítez’s Liverpool, Chelsea acquired the Israeli for a small fee.

However, with his opportunities with the Blues limited, Arsenal were willing to take the versatile midfielder on loan for the 2011–12 season, and he proved to be a useful addition for the Gunners.

He appeared 19 times in the Premier League during his loan spell, even captaining the side on a couple of occasions. His experience and leadership were valued in Wenger’s dressing room, but he returned to Chelsea after just a single campaign in north London.

Petr Čech

To many, Čech is the greatest goalkeeper in Premier League history… but because of Čech’s work at Stamford Bridge. On Seatsnet.com, fans believe Čech was one unstoppable force at the time in a blue shirt. 

The Czech shot-stopper spent 11 years at Chelsea, racking up 333 league appearances, claiming 13 major honours and three Golden Glove awards.

Čech departed the club in 2015, with Chelsea developing Thibaut Courtois Čech their new number one. Convinced that he was over the hill, the Blues sold Čech to Arsenal in a £10 million ($13.5 million) deal.

At the time, the ticket marketplace was in chaos mode. Over the years, the Chelsea keeper had built with him a loyal fan base and now suddenly with his move, the fans were in trouble deciding whether to support Arsenal or not. 

He immediately cleared any doubt over his competence at the highest level by winning his fourth Golden Glove during his first season at Arsenal. Still, his demise in the aftermath vindicated Chelsea’s decision to let him go. 

Čech added an FA Cup to his trophy haul with the Gunners before retiring in 2019.

David Luiz

The Brazilian’s time at Arsenal was probably better than you remember it to be. Luiz was no angel in north London, but he offered valuable experience to a backline that lacked talent.

Luiz spent just a couple of years with the Gunners, having conquered Europe with Chelsea in 2012. He had two spells in west London, the second of which saw him develop into a genuinely reliable defender who helped the Blues to a Premier League title.

The distinct-looking centre-half spent two seasons with the Gunners, racking up over 50 Premier League appearances. He was probably the club‘s most dependable defender during his time at the Emirates, although that isn’t saying much.

Willian

Oh, how it all started so promisingly for Willian at Arsenal. The Gunners were believed to have made one of the signings of the 2020 summer when they acquired the Brazilian winger from Chelsea on a free transfer.

He started with a productive outing at Fulham on the opening weekend of the 2020–21 Premier League season, but his Arsenal career peaked there.

The winger lasted just a year in north London after penning a three-year deal, with Willian later admitting he struggled for “motivation” in front of the eerie empty stadiums that were forced upon us as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He’d label his short Arsenal stint as the “worst time” of his impressive career.

Jorginho

Arsenal were after Moisés Caicedo midway through the 2022–23 season as they chased the Premier League title. However, with Brighton & Hove Albion playing hardball and demanding a fee that Chelsea would later pay without much fuss, the Gunners pivoted.

They turned to a much cheaper alternative in Jorginho. While the signing struggled to enamour supporters right away, the Italian international proved to be an astute addition given the fee.

He was never a regular in Mikel Arteta’s starting XI, but he was a valued member of the Spaniard’s dressing room and his on-pitch general when he did take to the field. After extending his contract by another year in 2024, Jorginho left the club as a free agent at the start of the 2025 summer.

Only a handful of the transfers have been fruitful for Arsenal. The club, despite the irregular performances, have continued their dealings in terms of players. 

With Kepa Arrizabalaga, being the latest transfer from Chelsea to Arsenal, only time will tell if it is a worthy transfer or not. 

Tickets for the new season are now available at trusted ticket marketplace Seatsnet.com.

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