Arsenal Player Cards
A hub for every Arsenal player we cover — earliest cardboard, key cards era by era, and where each one actually trades. Start with the reference table if you are trying to work out which card of a player you are looking at.
Which shirt is on their earliest cards?
Most Arsenal players were carded at a previous club first, so their earliest cardboard is not Arsenal cardboard. This is the single most common mix-up when buying a player's "first card" — the kit in the photo dates it, and an Arsenal-kit card cannot pre-date the season the player joined. Sorted by the year each player arrived.
| Player | Arsenal from | Earliest cards show | First Arsenal-kit cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Adams Defender | 1983 Academy — first-team debut 1983 | Arsenal only — a one-club career | Mid-1980s Panini albums onward |
| Ian Wright Forward | 1991 From Crystal Palace, September 1991 | Crystal Palace (late 1980s) | 1991-92 season issues (Pro Set / Panini era, pre-Merlin) |
| Dennis Bergkamp Forward | 1995 From Inter Milan, summer 1995 | Ajax & Netherlands (from 1986), then Inter 1993-95 | 1995-96 Merlin |
| Thierry Henry Forward | 1999 From Juventus, August 1999 | Monaco & France (mid-1990s) | 1999-2000 Merlin |
| Bukayo Saka Winger | 2018 Academy — first-team debut 2018 | Arsenal only | 2019 onward |
| Gabriel Martinelli Forward | 2019 From Ituano, July 2019 | Arsenal only — no prior card footprint | 2020 onward |
| William Saliba Defender | 2019 Signed from Saint-Étienne 2019; Arsenal debut 2022 | Saint-Étienne (2018-19) and loan clubs | 2022-23 onward |
| Gabriel Magalhães Defender | 2020 From Lille, September 2020 | Lille (2017-2020) | 2020-21 onward |
| Martin Ødegaard Attacking Midfielder | 2021 Loan January 2021, permanent August 2021 (Real Madrid) | Strømsgodset & Real Madrid (2014-15) | 2021-22 onward |
| Declan Rice Midfielder | 2023 From West Ham United, July 2023 | West Ham United (from 2017) | 2023-24 onward |
| Kai Havertz Forward | 2023 From Chelsea, June 2023 | Bayer Leverkusen (from 2016), then Chelsea 2020-23 | 2023-24 onward |
| Viktor Gyökeres Forward | 2025 From Sporting CP, 2025 | Brighton, Coventry City & Sporting CP | 2025-26 onward |
"First Arsenal-kit cards" is when a player's Arsenal cards became widely available in the major licensed sets. Club-issue, regional and one-off releases can pre-date it — always check the card itself rather than the listing title.
Shop Arsenal player cards on eBay
Individual player cards — rookies, vintage Merlin, graded slabs — trade on eBay. These open live listings so you can compare condition and grade before you commit.
Live Arsenal player-card auctions ending soon
LIVEReal-time eBay auctions · bids shown are current · tap a card to bid on eBay
All-Time Legends
The Invincibles-era and Graham-era names whose cardboard predates the rookie-card convention entirely.
Dennis Bergkamp
Arsenal FC · Forward
A collector's guide to Dennis Bergkamp cards — his Ajax-era Dutch issues, the two Inter Milan seasons, the 1995-96 Merlin first Arsenal cardboard and Invincibles run, and the modern retro cards (Topps Deco UEFA, Legends) you can buy today.
Ian Wright
Arsenal FC · Forward
Arsenal's record goalscorer of the 1990s and one of the club's great cult heroes. A collector's guide to Ian Wright cards — Merlin, Panini and Pro Set issues from his Highbury years, plus his Crystal Palace cardboard.
Thierry Henry
Arsenal FC · Forward
A collector's guide to Thierry Henry cards — his first Monaco-era cardboard, the 1999-2000 Arsenal debut issues, Invincibles-era Merlin and Topps, and the modern retro cards (Stadium Club Chrome UEFA #14) you can actually buy today.
Tony Adams
Arsenal FC · Defender
"Mr. Arsenal" — the one-club captain who anchored the Gunners' defence for two decades. A collector's guide to Tony Adams cards: Panini, Merlin and Pro Set issues from his 1980s–90s Highbury years, plus England cardboard.
Modern Stars
The current squad, where Topps UEFA and Premier League releases give every player a datable first card.
Bukayo Saka
Arsenal FC · Winger
A collector's guide to Bukayo Saka cards — his rookie year, the key early issues, Chrome and insert chases, and where to buy Arsenal's homegrown talisman graded and raw.
Declan Rice
Arsenal FC · Midfielder
Arsenal's club-record midfield signing and a first-choice England international. A collector's guide to Declan Rice cards — his West Ham breakout years, his Arsenal cardboard, and where the value sits.
Gabriel Magalhães
Arsenal FC · Defender
Arsenal's Brazil international centre-back and the set-piece threat of the modern defence. A collector's guide to Gabriel Magalhães cards — his key issues, autographs, and where the value sits.
Gabriel Martinelli
Arsenal FC · Forward
A collector's guide to Gabriel Martinelli cards — why his rookie-era cards are Arsenal cards (unlike Ødegaard's), the Chrome #57 and parallel chases, and how to buy the modern core's value winger raw or graded.
Kai Havertz
Arsenal FC · Forward
Arsenal's versatile German forward and Champions League winner. A collector's guide to Kai Havertz cards — his Leverkusen and Chelsea issues, Arsenal cardboard, and where the value sits.
Martin Ødegaard
Arsenal FC · Attacking Midfielder
A collector's guide to Martin Ødegaard cards — his true rookie year (the 2014-15 wonderkid cards, not the Arsenal ones), the key Chrome and parallel chases, and where to buy Arsenal's captain graded and raw.
Viktor Gyökeres
Arsenal FC · Forward
Arsenal's marquee striker signing and the club's new No. 9. A collector's guide to Viktor Gyökeres cards — his first Arsenal issues, the rookie-intent chase, and where the value sits.
William Saliba
Arsenal FC · Defender
Arsenal's France international centre-back and the defensive cornerstone of the modern side. A collector's guide to William Saliba cards — his rookies, key issues, and where the value sits.
Where to go next
Ranked by player
- Arsenal legends: the all-time greats & their cards — the era-by-era parent for the four legend hubs.
- Top 10 Arsenal cards of the 1990s — the Merlin/Pro Set decade, card by card.
- Arsenal rookie cards — the modern squad's first cardboard.
- Best Arsenal cards — the marquee cards across all eras.
- All lists & checklists — which list answers which question.
By set & checklist
- Arsenal team-set checklist — card numbers for the current squad.
- 2025-26 Topps UEFA Club Competitions — the current flagship licensed set.
- 2022-23 Topps Chrome UEFA — the refractor ladder explained.
- Release calendar — what is landing next.
Before you buy or grade
- Arsenal team hub — the squad-level view these hubs hang off.
- Collecting Arsenal cards — the licensor history in full.
- Centering tool — check a card against grading tolerances.
- Grading ROI calculator — decide whether a card is worth submitting.