#4 Alex Song
After the departure of Mathieu Flamini and Gilberto Silva, Arsenal needed someone to step in and fill the void left by them. Alex Song, the strong and athletic Cameroonian joined Arsenal at the age of 18, slotted into that role effortlessly.
His playing style was intense, making well-timed tackles and well-read interceptions. As the years progressed, he started developing a taste for defense-splitting through balls and cheeky lobs, too.
In the 2011-12 season, which was undoubtedly his best in the red of Arsenal, he formed a formidable partnership with Van Persie and bagged 13 assists and a goal which is an impressive statistics for a defensive midfielder.
By the end of the season, Barcelona came calling and they snatched him from Arsenal for €19m. However, in a midfield filled with exceptional talents, he found it difficult to break into the first team. He played second fiddle to Busquets and sometimes even played in the center of the defense.
After two unsuccessful seasons with Barcelona, he returned to the Premier League for a partially successful season with West Ham. He currently plays for the Russian outfit Rubin Kazan but he is not even a regular there.