Arsenal signed Real Madrid star and Thierry Henry's 'dream' team-mate in club record deals

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Over the years, Arsenal have splashed out record-breaking fees on a string of high-profile signings. As has been the case throughout the Premier League era, attracting the finest talent inevitably comes at a considerable price.

When the competition began in 1992, Ian Wright's £2.5million switch from Crystal Palace stood as Arsenal's costliest purchase. Fast forward to the present day, and it is the £105m the Gunners forked out for Declan Rice that holds that distinction, with plenty of thrilling deals struck in between.

Dennis Bergkamp remains one of the most iconic figures in Arsenal's history, scoring 120 goals and registering 116 assists across 420 appearances. The Netherlands international arrived from Inter Milan in 1995, penning a long-term deal for what was then a club-record £7.5m.

The Dutch forward was brought in by Bruce Rioch but truly flourished under Arsene Wenger when he took charge a year later. The legendary manager chose to build the Gunners' attack around Bergkamp, a decision that paid off handsomely.

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So successful was the partnership that Henry hailed the Dutchman as the "best partner" he has ever played alongside throughout his career. During the final match at Highbury, Bergkamp scored one goal and assisted another in a 3-1 victory over West Brom .

The fixture was billed as 'Dennis Bergkamp Day' and marked one of the striker's last outings as a professional footballer. Speaking afterwards, Henry heaped praise on his cherished team-mate as he said: "I have always said Dennis Bergkamp will remain the best partner I have ever had - he is a dream for a striker."

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Nearly a decade on, the World Cup winner identified Bergkamp as his number one partner in football. During a Q&A session at Sky Sports in 2015, Henry said: "Because of longevity and because I saw him every day in training for more than seven years, Dennis Bergkamp."

Bergkamp secured three Premier League titles, four FA Cups and three Community Shields. He didn't manage to replicate the same international glory as some of his teammates, including close friend Henry.

The club enjoyed success with another French forward, this time Sylvain Wiltord. The right-winger smashed the club record fee that Bergkamp had established five years earlier, arriving in August 2000 for £13m.

Wiltord registered 81 goal contributions over four campaigns for Arsenal , lifting the league trophy twice and amassing a collection of domestic cups. He also claimed the European Championship in the same year he joined the Gunners, netting the equaliser that pushed the game against Italy to extra-time and ultimately saw France claim the trophy.

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He lined up alongside Henry in the French national team, claiming three international trophies and finishing as runner-up at the 2006 World Cup. Another Arsenal record signing who earned global recognition was Mesut Ozil , who featured in the Germany squad that claimed World Cup glory in 2014, having joined the Gunners the season before that triumph for a record £42.5m from Real Madrid .

Lukas Podolski also flew the flag for both Arsenal and Germany on the grandest of stages, lifting the coveted golden trophy alongside Ozil. Another forward who once turned out for France - albeit at youth level - and Arsenal was Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The striker joined the Gunners in 2018 for yet another club-record fee of £56m. He put pen to paper in January and shared the Premier League Golden Boot with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, scoring 22 goals in a remarkably brief spell.

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Auba would go on to spend four years in north London, finding the net 92 times and registering 21 assists. However, he would never quite replicate the domestic or international heights reached by Henry, Wiltord or Bergkamp.

The forward went on to represent Gabon in tribute to his family roots, scoring 40 goals in 83 caps. He claimed the FA Cup and Community Shield with the Gunners before making the move to Barcelona in 2022.

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