With Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain set to clash in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League Final, we explore the complete list of 5 players who have represented both iconic clubs.
The upcoming 2025/26 Champions League Final has captured the imagination of the football world, pitting Mikel Arteta’s relentless Arsenal against the Parisian giants – PSG. While both clubs have established themselves as European heavyweights with global fanbases, the transfer pipeline between the Parc des Princes and the Emirates is surprisingly quiet.
In the entire history of these two massive institutions, only 5 senior players have officially worn both shirts. From a brilliant but enigmatic French striker to the very manager leading Arsenal into this year’s final, here is the exclusive list of players who played for both PSG and Arsenal.
1. Nicolas Anelka
- Paris Saint-Germain: 1996-1997 & 2000-2002 (Apps: 69 | Goals: 19 | Assists: 6) | Arsenal: 1997-1999 (Apps: 90 | Goals: 28 | Assists: 13)
Nicolas Anelka holds a highly unique place in the history of these two clubs: he remains the only player to be directly transferred between Arsenal and PSG.
A freakishly talented youth product of the PSG academy, a 17-year-old Anelka was famously poached by Arsène Wenger in February 1997 for a mere £500,000. He played a pivotal role in Arsenal’s 1997/98 domestic Double. After winning the PFA Young Player of the Year award, he forced a mega-money move to Real Madrid.
Following a brief and turbulent spell in Spain, Anelka made a romantic return to his boyhood club, PSG, in 2000. To this day, his direct move from Paris to North London remains an unrepeated piece of transfer business between the two sides.
2. Mikel Arteta
- Paris Saint-Germain: 2001-2002 (Loan) (Apps: 53 | Goals: 5 | Assists: 5) | Arsenal: 2011-2016 (Apps: 150 | Goals: 16 | Assists: 11)
Long before leading Arsenal to the 2025/26 Champions League Final against PSG and Premier League triumph, Mikel Arteta actually honed his skills in the French capital.
As a highly-rated teenager struggling to break into Barcelona’s first team, Arteta was sent on an 18-month loan to PSG. Playing alongside legends like Ronaldinho and Jay-Jay Okocha, the young Spaniard developed his exceptional passing range and deep-lying playmaking abilities.
A decade later, he signed for Arsenal on deadline day, eventually becoming the club captain and lifting two FA Cups.
Fast forward to today, Arteta has just achieved ultimate greatness. Having guided the Gunners to the Premier League title, he made history by becoming the first former player to win the Premier League as manager of his old club. He will now look to complete a legendary double when he faces his former French employers in the upcoming European final.
3. David Luiz
- Paris Saint-Germain: 2014-2016 (Apps: 89 | Goals: 8 | Assists: 4) | Arsenal: 2019-2021 (Apps: 73 | Goals: 4 | Assists: 1)
The Brazilian center-back is one of the most decorated players of his generation, winning major honors in Portugal, England, and France.
David Luiz arrived at PSG for a staggering £50 million fee, but his two seasons in the French capital are often viewed as fairly ordinary. Given PSG’s dominance, playing in an uncompetitive Ligue 1 meant the Brazilian center-back was rarely tested and could coast his way to domestic trophies without shifting past third gear.
However, his move to Arsenal in 2019 turned out to be a massive flop, plagued by erratic decision-making and high-profile blunders. His partnership with Shkodran Mustafi quickly became a certified defensive disasterclass, remembered by Arsenal fans as one of the most chaotic, error-prone, and frustrating eras in the club’s modern Premier League history.
4. Lassana Diarra
- Arsenal: 2007-2008 (Apps: 14 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0) | Paris Saint-Germain: 2018-2019 (Apps: 19 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 1)
Lassana Diarra’s career is the definition of a footballing journeyman, having played for a staggering array of elite European clubs.
Frustrated by a lack of playing time behind Claude Makélélé at Chelsea, Diarra moved to Arsenal in 2007. However, he found himself in the exact same situation, blocked by Mathieu Flamini and Cesc Fàbregas, resulting in a departure after just five months.
Over a decade later, towards the very end of his playing career, a 32-year-old Diarra signed a short-term contract with PSG, eventually retiring in Paris.
5. Kaba Diawara
- Arsenal: 1999 (Apps: 15 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 1) | Paris Saint-Germain: 1999-2003 (Apps: 15 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 1)
Kaba Diawara’s time at both clubs was brief and largely forgettable.
Arsène Wenger signed the young striker from Bordeaux midway through the 1998/99 season. Despite showing flashes of potential and famously hitting the woodwork multiple times, Diawara failed to score a single goal for the Gunners and was sold to Marseille just six months later.
Following a similarly disappointing spell with Marseille, he was transferred to PSG, where he spent most of his four-year contract out on various loans across Europe.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Who is the only player to transfer directly between PSG and Arsenal?
A: Nicolas Anelka. He transferred directly from PSG to Arsenal in February 1997 for a reported £500,000.
Q: Has Mikel Arteta managed both clubs?
A: No. Mikel Arteta played for both PSG (on loan) and Arsenal during his playing career, but he has only ever managed Arsenal, whom he notably guided to the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League Final against his former French employers.
Q: Did Matteo Guendouzi play for both Arsenal and PSG?
A: Officially, no. While Guendouzi spent nearly a decade in the PSG youth academy, he never made a senior first-team appearance for the Parisian club before moving to Lorient and eventually signing for Arsenal.
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