So far this list has been made up of strange signings who turned out to be major flops, but at number one is Sol Campbell, whose move to Arsenal was a great success - so much so in fact that the centre back actually rejoined the club in the latter stages of his career.
There is no denying that Campbell’s move was a strange one: the England international shocked everyone when he elected to leave arch rivals Tottenham for the Gunners, a move very few players have ever undertaken. Not surprisingly he became public enemy number one for Spurs fans, but at Highbury he became a Premier League and FA Cup winner, while also playing an integral role in the club’s invincibles season of 2003/04.
Signed on a free, the transfer of Campbell was a masterstroke by Arsenal, all thanks to David Dein who is often credited for the deal, getting the club to sanction a move despite the player’s excessive wage demands.
Campbell would prove to be worth every penny of his wage as he became a mainstay at the heart of the Arsenal defence. Yes he may have been a strange signing, given the nature of the move, but it was undoubtedly also one of the club’s finest pieces of business ever.