5 most promising 'what could've been' Arsenal players

It's no secret that Arsenal have had some top players over the years with the likes of Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Ian Wright gracing north London, but there have also been some great ones that haven't lived up to expectations.

With his early exit from the Emirates a matter of weeks ago, Takehiro Tomiyasu has become another Gunners player whose time at the club was marred by various unfortunate circumstances, adding to a long list of similar figures.

Arsenal have boasted a number of 'what could've been' players throughout their history and here are the five most promising that disappointingly never reached their full potential in the red half of north London.

5 most promising 'what could've been' Arsenal players

5. Denilson

Denilson joined Arsenal as an inexperienced 19-year-old from boyhood club Sao Paulo in 2006 and quickly became integrated with the first team squad.

Arsene Wenger referred to him as a mix between Gilberto Silva and Tomas Rosicky and such a comparison would have been welcomed by Gunners fans.

He impressed when playing, but struggled with injuries and homesickness, which prevented him from reaching his high ceiling. Denilson returned to Sao Paulo on loan in 2011 before making the move permanent two years later.

4. Serge Gnabry

The one that got away. Serge Gnabry did suffer with injuries while at Arsenal, but that didn't stop him from moving onto better things after leaving north London.

The German graduated from the Gunners' Hale End academy in 2012 and was given chances within the first team over the next two seasons. He didn't make an appearance throughout the 2013/14 campaign due to a knee issue and spent the next year on loan with West Brom.

Gnabry made just three appearances for the Baggies with manager Tony Pulis claiming he wasn't up to the standard to play for the club. He was then sold by Arsenal the following summer, joining Werder Bremen for £5million.

He moved to Bayern Munich a year later and broke into the first team after a season away on loan. He has since become a key member of the side, winning multiple trophies including six Bundesliga titles and a Champions League.

It hurts to imagine what could have been if he had stayed and been given more chances at Arsenal.

3. Eduardo da Silva

The Croatian from Brazil. Eduardo da Silva signed for Arsenal ahead of the 2007/08 season, but struggled to find a place in the team instantly.

Due to the superiority of Robin van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor, he was given scarce chances, but finally managed to establish himself when the former suffered a lengthy injury.

Eduardo eventually found his feet for the Gunners, scoring four goals in eight Premier League games between December and February, but his form was cut drastically short by a horrific injury. He suffered a broken tibia and dislocated ankle in a game against Birmingham City, keeping him out of the side for almost a year.

Prior to the injury, he had helped Arsenal go top of the league, but they fell short in the title race with many citing Eduardo's absence as a primary cause.

Upon his return, Eduardo struggled to reach the same levels and battled with more injuries before leaving the Gunners for Shakhtar Donetsk in 2010. At a point where he was beginning to show promise, his Arsenal career took a great hit, leaving fans to wonder how life would have turned out if he never got injured.

2. Abou Diaby

Abou Diaby joined Arsenal from Auxerre in 2006 as an ambitious youngster. He bizarrely took the number two shirt upon his arrival and was given chances from the off.

The midfielder impressed when playing and was labelled as the 'next Patrick Vieira' by fans and the media, but he soon began to struggle with injuries.

His Gunners career was plagued with fitness issues and that prevented him from reaching the level many expected of him. He missed an estimated 250 games for Arsenal during his 10 seasons in north London, managing only 180 appearances for the club.

The hunt for a player similar to Patrick Vieira went on for years and it's hard not to think that problem would have been solved very soon if Diaby didn't suffer the problems he did. A promising career that was really derailed.

1. Jack Wilshere

Perhaps the best 'what could've been' Arsenal player of all time is Jack Wilshere. Hailed as one of the best young prospects in the world upon his breakthrough from Hale End, the midfielder never reached his full potential.

Not many 19-year-olds can dominate Andres Iniesta and Xavi in a Champions League knockout match, but that's exactly what Wilshere did, proving to the footballing world that he was one for the future. However, he soon faced frequent battles with injuries and that hindered his development.

Wilshere performed whenever he was fit, playing 197 games for Arsenal throughout 10 seasons at the club, scoring 14 goals and providing 28 assists, but fans will feel those numbers could have been a lot higher if he had stayed fit.

He was meant to be the future of the Gunners, but his constant issues meant he could never be that man, leading to an exit from the club in 2018. Fans will always wonder what could have been if Wilshere did not suffer the injuries he did.

READ THE LATEST ARSENAL NEWS HERE!