Top 25 Arsenal players of the Premier League era - #2

Sports Mole's countdown of the 25 greatest Arsenal players in the Premier League continues with number two - Dennis Bergkamp.

Dennis Bergkamp

 Dennis Bergkamp of Arsenal celebrates by pointing at the photographers after scoring their second goal of the game during the Barclays Premiership match between Arsenal and Manchester United at Highbury on February 1, 2005© Getty Images

Perhaps Arsenal's most important signing of the modern era, Dennis Bergkamp was instrumental in helping the club return to the top of English football following his arrival for a club-record fee from Inter Milan in 1995.

Signed by Bruce Rioch, it was under Arsene Wenger that Bergkamp really began to thrive as the Frenchman built his team around the classy Dutchman on their way to the league and cup double in 1998, with Bergkamp scoring 22 goals that season including a stunning hat-trick against Leicester City.

That form saw him named the PFA Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year for the campaign, in addition to winning Goal of the Season for his third against Leicester - an award he would win again four years later for another exquisite piece of skill and finish against Newcastle United.

That helped Arsenal to another league and cup double in 2002, and Bergkamp was also part of the team's Invincible season in 2004 before helping the club to his fourth FA Cup winners' medal a year later.

Bergkamp retired at the end of the 2005-06 season having scored 120 goals in 423 appearances for the club, 87 of which came in 315 Premier League outings - an appearance tally that only Ray Parlour and David Seaman can beat.

A general view of the outside of the stadium ahead of the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Sunderland at Emirates Stadium on May 20, 2015
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