Arsene Wenger names the most underrated player he managed at Arsenal

Arsene Wenger managed a number of high-profile superstars during his 22-year reign at Arsenal, but some of his most reliable stalwarts perhaps didn’t get the credit they deserved.

The legendary Frenchman inherited a number of elite players from his predecessor Bruce Rioch, including the likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Tony Adams, Ian Wright and David Seaman.

Wenger was credited with prolonging their careers with what were then groundbreaking methods, before supplementing his squad with largely unheralded players from abroad.

Thierry Henry, Nicolas Anelka, Cesc Fabregas and Patrick Vieira were all essential components of successful Arsenal sides managed by Wenger and went on to enjoy hugely successful careers after establishing themselves as world class talents at Arsenal.

Other less glamorous names, however, according to Wenger, were equally important during the most prolific trophy-winning period of his managerial career and the legendary Frenchman highlighted the significance of Gilberto Silva to Arsenal’s Invincibles side.

Asked to name the most underrated player he ever coached, Wenger told the SPORTbible: ‘Gilberto Silva. He was naturally discreet. I remember when I bought him in 2002 he was in Japan at the World Cup.

‘I looked at him and I thought he doesn’t make anything special but then you think who won that ball and it’s Gilberto Silva, or who made that pass and it’s Gilberto Silva.

‘I went to buy him and after that I would say in the Invincibles nobody speaks about him but he’s the kind of player you see only how much they miss them when they don’t play. When they play they find it all natural.

‘Olivier Giroud was a bit like that in the other way. That means when he missed a pass it was…