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Arsenal are currently going through a massive transitional phase. Mikel Arteta is still trying to put his stamp on the team and has made numerous changes to the squad since taking over.
Some of these changes include the departure of many of the senior players from the squad, including the likes of Mesut Ozil, Shkodran Mustafi and Emiliano Martinez. Arsenal are now in a full rebuild mode and are fighting to get back to challenging for the top 4 in the Premier League.
The main core of their current squad has only been formed over the past few years, with multiple players being brought in under both Mikel Arteta and Unai Emery, however there are still a few players who remain from Arsene Wenger's reign.
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Today's list will take a look at the most senior players in Arsenal's current squad, not in terms of age, but in terms of their tenure at the club. So without further ado, here are
Arsenal's top 5 longest-serving players at the moment
#5 Rob Holding (since July 22, 2016)
Rob Holding joined Arsenal from Bolton back in 2016. The defender was brought in as a promising 20-year old, but was quickly thrown into the thick of things by Arsene Wenger due to injury problems for the likes of Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny.
Holding has never really been able to crack into Arsenal's starting XI under any of the managers he has played for, however the 2020-21 season was his most promising one. The Englishman made huge strides and a had a breakthrough season, making 18 league starts under Mikel Arteta.
The defender's performances also earned him a new three-and-a-half year deal. At the age of 25, Holding is entering the prime of his career and Arteta will hope that the defender can keep improving and finally establish himself as a bonafide starter in the team.
#4 Granit Xhaka (since July 1, 2016)
Granit Xhaka has had a rollercoaster of a career at Arsenal. The Swiss was brought in to bring some steel into Arsenal's midfield and has been a stalwart of the team ever since.
Despite his love-hate relationship with the fans, Xhaka has ended up being a regular under all three of the managers he's played under at Arsenal. His ability to dictate the tempo of the game and leadership in midfield are a huge asset to Arsenal's playing style, although he is prone to a mistake every now and again.
Xhaka seemed destined to leave the club earlier this summer, and was in advanced talks to join Roma. However, since the deal fell through, the midfielder is now set to sign a contract extension at Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta still viewing him as an important member of his squad.
#3 Mohamed Elneny (since January 14, 2016)
Mohamed Elneny has never really been a starter at Arsenal but the midfielder has been a loyal servant to the club since joining from Basel back in 2016. Arsene Wenger brought in the Egyptian to help bolster his midfield options and Elneny has never really been able to to progress further than being a squad player at the club.
Elneny's motor is his main asset as the midfielder is a willing runner at the center of the park. The Egyptian has also chipped in with a few spectacular goals during his time at the club.
Under Mikel Arteta, Elneny has mostly been restricted to substitute appearances, however the Spaniard seemingly values the Egyptian as a squad player, opting not to sell him over some of the more promising midfielders at the club.
#2 Calum Chambers (since July 28, 2014)
Another player who is yet to properly establish himself at Arsenal, Calum Chambers, was bought for £16 million from Southampton back in 2014. The Englishman came into the club as a promising 19-year old right back. However, Arsene Wenger quickly realized that the defender was more suited to a central position and started deploying Chambers as a centre-back early on in his stint with the club.
His bright start for the club earned him an international call-up, with many at the club seeing him as one of their stars for the future. However, the honeymoon period soon ended and Chambers saw himself fall further down the pecking order at the club. The defender has since been on two loan spells away from Arsenal at Middlesbrough and Fulham. His performances at the latter club would see him win Fulham's Player of the Season award for the 2018-19 season.
Under Mikel Arteta, Chambers has struggled with injuries, including rupturing his ACL back in December 2019. Since his return the defender has been a bit-part player at the club, making only a handful of appearances over the last two seasons.
#1 Hector Bellerin (since September 25, 2013)
Hector Bellerin spent two years at Arsenal's youth academy before making his debut as a substitute back in 2013, coming on late for current manager Mikel Arteta in a League Cup game against West Brom.
The Spaniard was seen as one of the most promising youngsters in the world at the time and continued to get better in the first few years after making his debut. This culminated in him being selected for the 2015-16 PFA Team of the Year.
His speed and all-round game saw him nail down the starting spot over more experienced names such as Mathieu Debuchy. However, Bellerin ruptured his ACL back in 2018 and hasn't been the same player since.
The Spaniard has lost much of his pace and has greatly declined since making his return back in 2019. Bellerin is now playing in what could be his final season at Arsenal, with him being touted to leave this summer. The club are reportedly actively looking for his replacement, with Mikel Arteta having lost faith in his compatriot.
