Arsenal’s rivalry with Tottenham Hotspur is one of the fiercest in the Premier League, and North London derby matches are some of the most heated in English football.
Arsenal and Tottenham have been local rivals since The Gunners moved to Highbury in 1913, but the hatred between the two clubs became a lot more extreme towards the end of the 20th century.
Players crossing the North London divide is rare, but not completely unheard of.
One notable figure is Pat Jennings, who was a legendary goalkeeper at both clubs for over 20 years, though he is a rare example of a player featuring for both and having a strong legacy on both sides of the rivalry.
Tottenham’s all-time top scorer Harry Kane notably came through the academy at Arsenal but moved to Spurs after being released as a teenager.
There are several players who appeared for both teams during the Premier League era, and some caused significant anger with their moves to either club.
Sol Campbell
Arsene Wenger pulled off one of the most controversial moves in Premier League history in 2001, as Arsenal signed Tottenham captain Sol Campbell on a free transfer.
Campbell departed Spurs after his contract ran out despite being a key figure at the club, but he committed the ultimate act of betrayal by joining Arsenal, much to the surprise of the entire footballing world.
The defender became a legendary figure for Arsenal as he won two Premier League titles, with the Invincibles also confirming their triumph at White Hart Lane in 2004.
Whenever Campbell played against Spurs in North London Derby matches, he was greeted with heavy booing, and the games even required extra security as a result.
Rohan Ricketts
The summer of 2002 saw one player move in the opposite direction to Campbell a year before, as young midfielder Rohan Ricketts joined Spurs from Arsenal for free.
Then 19, Ricketts made just one League Cup appearance for Arsenal before joining Tottenham, making 36 appearances in two seasons.
David Bentley
David Bentley was a promising youngster in the Arsenal Academy, but the winger found it tough to break into the first team ahead of the likes of Robert Pires and made just nine appearances before leaving in 2006.
After a successful spell at Blackburn, Bentley returned to North London as he joined Spurs in 2008, for around £15m, of which £7m was payable to Arsenal.
However, despite the profit made on a forgotten academy player, Bentley would have the last laugh, as his first goal for Tottenham came in a 4-4 draw at the Emirates in a dramatic North London Derby, as he scored an audacious volley from 43 yards out.
William Gallas
Former France International William Gallas could not have made himself more unpopular in London if he tried.
Gallas joined Arsenal in the ill-fated swap deal with Chelsea for Ashley Cole and eventually became club captain under Wenger.
Controversial incidents then saw him stripped of the Arsenal captaincy before the defender departed on a free transfer in 2010 after 142 appearances.
Gallas then moved to Spurs directly on a free transfer and captained his new side to a 3-2 win in his first return to Arsenal, which is Tottenham’s only Premier League win at the Emirates Stadium.
Emmanuel Adebayor
Emmanuel Adebayor was once a lethal striker for Arsenal, but he controversially moved to Manchester City in 2009.
His move already made him hated amongst Arsenal fans, and tensions reached boiling point as he ran the length of the pitch to celebrate a goal against his former side for Man City.
Adebayor was also handed a three-match ban for kicking former teammate Robin van Persie in the face.
The striker then joined Tottenham on an initial loan deal in 2011, which was later made permanent, and he scored against Arsenal again at the Emirates in 2012 to put Spurs 1-0 up in the North London Derby.
The striker then received a straight red card for a dangerous challenge on Santi Cazorla, much to the fury of the Arsenal fans, but they would have the last laugh as they went on to win 5-2 in an iconic North London Derby.
Other players who featured for both Arsenal and Tottenham
- Jimmy Brain
- George Hunt
- Freddie Cox
- Vic Groves
- Laurie Brown
- Jimmy Robertson
- David Jenkins
- Steve Walford
- Willie Young
- Pat Jennings
Several players appeared for both teams, and on both sides during North London Derby matches, before the Premier League began.
Historically, more players would move between local rivals before transfers further afield and abroad became more commonplace, but in the modern era, it is tough to imagine another player moving between Arsenal and Tottenham any time soon.
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