In their quest to win their first Premier League trophy since the 2003/04 season, Arsenal have not been afraid to take risks with transfers and branch out to South America.
In their quest to win their first Premier League trophy since the 2003/04 season, Arsenal have not been afraid to take risks with transfers and branch out to South America.
While plenty of their recruitment came from Europe under Arsene Wenger, the Gunners have had success with several Brazilian players over the last few years.
We have taken a look at the top 10 Brazilians to wear the Arsenal shirt, while you can also check out our lists of the best Arsenal strikers of all time and the biggest Arsenal transfers of all time.
1. Gilberto Silva
When discussing defensive midfielders from the 2000s, a lot of people reference Claude Makelele and overlook Arsenal ace Gilberto Silva.
The Gunners paid just £4.5million in 2002 for his services from Atletico Mineiro and he formed a superb partnership with club legend Patrick Vieira.
Gilberto was a member of the “Invincibles team” who won the Premier League without losing a single game in 2003/4. He also won two FA Cups during his time at the club and made a huge impression during his stay.
He scored Arsenal’s first goal at the Emirates Stadium when it opened in 2006 before leaving two years later for Panathinaikos.
2. Gabriel Martinelli
Current Gunners winger Gabriel Martinelli slots in at number two and he could still be at the club for the next five or six years.
The former Ituano winger joined in 2019 and he has already scored 51 goals and secured 29 assists for the Gunners.
Injuries have slowed his progress, but the 24-year-old has yet to reach his peak and he will play a huge role if they are to end their wait for a league title under Mikel Arteta.
3. Gabriel Magalhaes
Arsenal snapped up centre-back Gabriel from Lille in the summer of 2020 and he has flourished in recent years.
The 27-year-old has been a mainstay at the back for the Gunners ever since he put pen to paper on his contract and he has formed a formidable partnership with Frenchman William Saliba.
Gabriel is also one of his side’s best weapons at attacking set-pieces and he has scored 20 goals since joining five years ago.
4. Edu
Arsenal’s former sporting director Edu deserves an honourable mention after his success in North London.
Gunners scouts spotted him while he played for Corinthians and he joined in 2001 before enjoying four seasons with the club.
He won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups during his time at the club and, while he has since moved on from his backroom role, Gunners fans will always be thankful for his contribution.
5. Denilson
Another Brazilian who made over 100 appearances for Arsenal was midfielder Denilson. He joined as a youngster in 2006 and was described by Arsene Wenger as “a little bit in between Tomas Rosicky and Gilberto”.
High praise indeed. Sadly, he never kicked on and he failed to become a mainstay in the league during his four-year stay, although he did score eight goals and provide 10 assists.
6. Gabriel Jesus
Arsenal made headlines when they signed striker Gabriel Jesus from Premier League rivals Manchester City in 2022.
Jesus scored 58 league goals for Manchester City during his time at the Etihad Stadium and Arsenal had hoped he was the answer to their striker problems.
In his first season, Jesus scored 11 goals in 26 appearances but he has since only played in 44 league matches for the Gunners in two seasons, scoring seven goals.
Injuries have derailed his progress, but Jesus is still only 28 and has plenty of ability if Arsenal can keep him fit.
7. Sylvinho
Former left-back Sylvinho was only at Arsenal for two seasons, but he is well thought of in North London.
He made history in 1999 when he became the first-ever Brazilian player to feature for the club.
Sylvinho managed to displace fan favourite Nigel Winterburn in his first season and he made 55 appearances for the Gunners before moving to Spain, joining Celta Vigo and then Barcelona.
He did return to England for one season in 2009, but he joined Manchester City and made 10 appearances in the Premier League.
8. David Luiz
Like Sylvinho, David Luiz’s stint at the Gunners was short and sweet, but the former Brazil international arrived at the Emirates Stadium with a huge reputation.
Luiz had played for Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain before joining Arsenal, but he was unable to solidify their defence during his two-year stay.
He was part of the club’s 2019/20 FA Cup-winning side, but he made too many errors to be remembered too fondly by Arsenal supporters.
9. Gabriel Paulista
Another player who only stayed in North London for three seasons was centre-back Gabriel Paulista.
Arsenal acquired him from Villarreal and he made 64 appearances for the club before returning to Spain to play for Valencia.
He was known for his passion and aggression on the pitch and, while many fans will have not been disappointed to see him leave, the defender did win two FA Cup titles.
10. Julio Baptista
Former striker Julio Baptiste is the last player to make the shortlist and who can forget “The Beast”?
Baptista began his career as a defensive midfielder, but was converted to a forward by Sevilla. He joined Real Madrid in 2005 and then enjoyed a one-season loan spell with the Gunners in 2006.
The powerful striker was horrible to handle for defenders and he scored four goals and grabbed two assists before returning to the Santiago Bernabeu.
