Petr Cech started the season in the best possible way today, by beating his former club Chelsea with his new club Arsenal to claim the Community Shield.
Cech was deemed surplus to requirements after the stellar form of Belgian Thibaut Courtois last season, but given Arsenal's trouble with finding a reliable goalkeeper, he was targeted by Wenger as a possible addition and completed his move there earlier this summer.
The two clubs are rivals not only as they will both have designs on the title this season, but also because of the fact that they're both based in London. However there have been some high profile players that have crossed the city and the blue and red divide to play for both clubs, often in pursuit of a better chance at winning trophies. However, is it always the right move? Here are a few players who have switched between the two clubs, and what they've won.
Cesc Fàbregas
An obvious one to start with, but the Spaniard arrived at Arsenal as an incredibly talented youngster, and became one of the club's most important players, dominating the midfield and demonstrating an innate talent for picking out an impossible looking pass and creating clear scoring opportunities for his team-mates.
His long-standing desire to return home and play for the club where he began his career took him back to Barcelona, and despite winning plenty of trophies, he never really settled with the La Liga giants. There has been plenty of speculation over his return since and whether or not he ever had a chance to join back up with his former club, but his performances last season played a huge role in helping his Chelsea side to the title.
Trophies at Arsenal: FA Cup 2004/05; Community Shield 2004
Trophies at Chelsea: Premier League 2014/15; League Cup 2014/15
Emmanuel Petit
Similarly to Fàbregas, the Frenchman departed Arsenal to play at Catalan giants Barcelona, but eventually returned to the Premier League to play with Chelsea. His time in Spain was less successful than Cesc however, and he returned after just one season, failing to make a big impact in his short time there. His first season back in England with Chelsea also proved to be difficult, but he did eventually face his former club in the FA Cup final in 2002, which Arsenal won. He improved greatly after that and became an important part of Chelsea's midfield before retiring in 2005, having failed to fully recover from a knee injury.
Trophies at Arsenal: Premier League 1997/98; FA Cup 1997/98; Charity (Community) Shield 1998 & 1999
Trophies at Chelsea: N/A
William Gallas
Gallas is one of the few players who has played for three different London clubs (Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs), and unlike Petit or Fàbregas, his path in English football started at Chelsea and took him from there to Arsenal. He became a key member of Chelsea's defence after being signed by Claudio Ranieri, but fully flourished under Mourinho winning back to back titles. After being asked to play out of position regularly, he demanded a transfer and eventually got what he wanted when he was sold to Arsenal. He became the club captain there, but despite his success in an Arsenal shirt, he may well be best remembered for his behaviour in the game against Birmingham that cost his side the title, as he sat inconsolable in the middle of the pitch after the final whistle.
Trophies at Arsenal: N/A
Trophies at Chelsea: Premier League 2004/05 & 2005/06; League Cup 2004/05; Community Shield 2005
Ashley Cole
Cole left Arsenal to go to Chelsea in one of the most controversial transfers in recent memory. Famously, a passage in his book described how he "nearly swerved off the road" after getting a derisory £55,000 a week contract offer, which made him a target for Gunners fans for years to come.
There can be no denying, however, that he was incredibly successful at both clubs, winning a combined four Premier League titles, seven FA Cups and a Champions League. Since leaving English football and moving to Italy, he hasn't had much success, but he may well go down as one of the finest defenders of the Premier League era.
Trophies at Arsenal: Premier League 2001/02 & 2003/04; FA Cup 201/02, 2002/03 & 2004/05; Community Shield 2002 & 2004
Trophies at Chelsea: Premier League 2009/10; FA Cup 2006/07, 2008/09, 2009/10 & 2011/12; League Cup 2006/07; Champions League 2011/12; Europa League 2012/13; Community Shield 2009
George Graham
Graham not only played for both Chelsea and Arsenal, but also managed the Gunners with fantastic success after he retired as a player. The Scot began his career at Aston Villa, but played for two years at Chelsea, where he won a league cup, before moving to Arsenal. He made over 200 appearances for the club scoring 60 goals, but with the arrival of Alan Ball in 1972, Graham decided to move on to Manchester United to keep playing fist team football.
When he returned to Highbury as a manager in 1986, he had incredible success, winning two league titles as well as a Cup Winners' Cup. Graham's later managerial career also featured a stint at Spurs, which earned him plenty of scorn from the fans of both clubs, but his time in charge of Tottenham proved to be a bit less successful than his trophy laden years with Arsenal.
Trophies at Arsenal: First Division (League title) 1970/71; FA Cup 1970/71; Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (predecessor to the UEFA Cup) 1969/70
Trophies at Chelsea: League Cup 1964/65
For Petr Cech, he'd need to have a remarkably successful period at Arsenal to catch up on his haul from Chelsea, but he has started that tally already today. No, we're not counting the Emirates Cup.
Trophies at Chelsea: Premier League 2004/05, 2005/06, 2009/10, 2014/15; FA Cup 2006/07, 2008/9, 2009/10, 2011/12; League Cup 2004/05, 2006/07, 2014/15; Champions League 2011/12; Europa League 2012/13; Community Shield 2005, 2009
Trophies at Arsenal: Community Shield 2015
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