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

#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...