6 players who have fallen victim to Arsenal's number 9 curse

On 2 August 1999, a 20-year-old Nicolas Anelka joined Real Madrid from Arsenal. He was Arsenal's top scorer in the 1998-99 season with 17 Premier League goals, and was voted the PFA Young Player of the Year. Arsenal fans certainly knew they were going to miss their prolific number 9. What they didn't know, however, was that they would have to wait 18 years (and counting) for their next successful number 9.

The first victim was Davor Suker, who joined Arsenal on the back of his stellar performances for Croatia in the 1998 World Cup. When he left a year later with just eight Premier League starts to his name, Francis Jeffers was drafted in from Everton and billed a "fox in the box" by Wenger himself. Three years, 22 Premier League games, four goals. The curse had just been cast.

Since Jeffers' departure, Arsenal have had six more number 9s, with new signing Alexandre Lacazette being the 7th. Each one of the six flattered to deceive. When Podolski left the club, Giroud turned down the chance to don the number 9 jersey – a wise decision considering the burden of expectation that has weighed the jersey down for years.

Lacazette has boldly taken on the challenge; let's hope he becomes Arsenal's first successful number 9 in the 21st century.

Here are the last 6 players to have donned Arsenal's number 9 jersey and invariably fallen victim to the inexplicable curse:

#6 Antonio Reyes (2004-2006)

Reyes built a huge reputation for himself in Spain playing for Sevilla, making his debut aged just 16. He was only 20 when he joined Arsenal from Sevilla in the January transfer window of 2004. 23 goals in over 100 games during two and a half seasons may have been judged a decent return in most cases, but not for a player who was expected to become Thierry Henry's long term successor.

Being left out of the starting line up for the Champions League final against Barcelona in 2006 was the final straw. Reyes joined Real Madrid on a year long loan, with Julio Baptista moving to Arsenal as part of a swap deal.

"Adapting to England was difficult, things like the weather and the language were hard for me," Reyes said later. "It was quite difficult."

It really was. For him, for the fans, and as it turned out, for his successor too.

#5 Julio Baptista (2006-2007)

Julio Baptista struggled to adapt to English football

The Brazilian joined Arsenal on a season long loan from Real Madrid as part of the deal that saw Reyes go the other way. With his bulky frame, Baptista was brought in to add power and steel to an Arsenal side that had started stockpiling frail technical players. In fact, Wenger had chased the Brazilian for years, a possible deal scuppered only by work permit issues and the hefty asking price.

In 35 appearances for Wenger's side, Baptista never came close to convincing the manager to sign him up permanently. Apart from a four-goal performance against Liverpool in the League Cup, Baptista struggled with the pace and intensity of English football. His loan spell expired and he returned to Real Madrid.

Well, Arsenal fans sighed, may be the next one...

#4 Eduardo Da Silva (2007-2010)

Eduardo Da Silva's promising Arsenal career was ruined by a horrific injury

And yes, the next one was initially a success. Eduardo Da Silva was signed from Dinamo Zagreb in July 2007 for a fee believed to be around £7.5 million. Going into a match against Birmingham in February 2008, Eduardo had scored four goals and assisted three in seven appearances. Arsenal were five points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Three minutes into the game, Eduardo dropped deep into midfield to collect the ball, turned and took a touch. Martin Taylor of Birmingham City thought that the ball was there to win – but Eduardo was too quick for him.

What followed was one of the most gruesome injuries in the history of football. A broken fibula, and an open dislocation of the left leg. An incident that broadcasters Sky Sports deemed so graphic they refused to show any replays of it.

Eduardo was never quite the same player even after recovering from the injury. He had a decent career, with spells in Shakhtar Donetsk and Flamengo, but Arsenal fans will always wonder what could have been.

#3 Park Chu Young (2011-2012)

Park Chu Young failed to make any sort of impact at Arsenal

The most mysterious signing on this list, Park Chu Young was undergoing a medical with Ligue 1 Club LOSC Lille ahead of a proposed transfer from AS Monaco. Lille were waiting for Park to complete the second part of his medical when he became aware of Arsenal's interest. He departed from his hotel room, flying to London without finishing the medical.

How he must have regretted that decision. He made only one league appearance (as an 82nd-minute substitute) and scored one goal for Arsenal, in the League Cup against Bolton.

He came to England as Korea's best striker; one of the top goal scorers in Asia. When he left, his relationship with the Korean national team was in tatters. Talk about a bad career choice.

#2 Lukas Podolski (2012-2015)

Lukas Podolski failed to live up to expectations

The one name on this list Arsenal fans are likely to remember fondly, Lukas Podolski was not a flop by any means. He scored 31 goals in 82 games and was passionate about Arsenal. He regularly poked fun of Tottenham on social media and became a fan favourite.

Yet, as an out and out goalscorer, Podolski failed despite possessing a lethal left foot. He was regularly shunted out to the wing and never really established himself in the starting XI. He never gave the impression he could lead the line on his own and Arsenal were continuously linked with world class strikers during his spell at the club.

#1 Lucas Perez (2016 - ?)

Lucas Perez did not get enough playing time

Lucas Perez is yet to secure a move away from the Gunners at the time of writing, but it seems fairly certain he will soon, adding his name to this undesirable list. Perez was never found to lack quality, yet was still deemed surplus to requirements on a side that featured Alex Iwobi, Theo Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain et al in attacking positions and Giroud or Welbeck as the lone striker.

Signed towards the end of the 2016 transfer window when Wenger failed to land his primary targets, Perez was never given the backing he needed. Instead, Wenger counted on him to simply provide competition for the attacking positions, and that's exactly what he did. "He is a top quality striker but I could not give him the games he wants and deserves, I confess that," Wenger said at the end of last season. "I feel a bit sorry for him."

Over to you, Alexandre Lacazette. Can Arsenal fans finally belt out a chant for their number 9 with pride?