After facing financial difficulties after relocating to the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal has significantly increased their spending in recent years. The club is demonstrating its determination and recently set a new transfer record in hopes of clinching their first Premier League championship since the 2003/04 season. Let’s explore the seven costliest acquisitions in Arsenal’s history and examine how these players performed after joining the team.
7. Thomas Partey for £45m
After a lengthy transfer ordeal, Arsenal ultimately activated Partey’s £45.3 million release clause from his Atletico Madrid contract on the 2020 transfer deadline. The Ghanaian player faced injury issues during his initial two years in North London and displayed some irregular performances. He successfully remained injury-free and emerged as one of Arsenal’s standout players in the first half of the 2022/23 season. However, his form declined towards the end of the season.
6. Alexandre Lacazette for £47.7m
Lacazette netted 37 goals in 45 games during his last year at Lyon before he moved to Arsenal in 2017, setting a club record at the time. Although he couldn’t match that scoring level in an Arsenal jersey, he still scored 71 goals in 206 matches. Additionally, he earned the Player of the Season award in 2018/19.
After the 2021/22 season, the former French international departed from North London when his contract ended, deciding to return to Lyon.
Did you know that having strong players is one of the deciding factors in a football team’s performance? That explains why clubs try to get the best players to join their ranks. That being said, it also affects fans’ decisions when using the Lottoland football betting platform. That’s why they should keep up with the changes/transfers that are happening or will happen soon.
Next on our list of the most expensive Arsenal transfers is Ben White.
5. Ben White for £50mÂ
People were surprised when Arsenal spent £50 million on White, who had only played one season in the top-flight league. The former Brighton defender had a rough start with a tough debut against Brentford at the beginning of the 2021/22 season. However, he managed to recover and prove his doubters wrong.
In the 2022/23 season, White shifted to the right-back position after William Saliba returned from his Marseille loan. He has done exceptionally well in his new role, showing great adaptability.
4. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for £57.4m
Aubameyang, the final signing from the Arsene Wenger era, made a notable move from Borussia Dortmund to Arsenal in January 2018 for a substantial £56 million.
He quickly became recognized as one of the world’s top-notch strikers, clinching the Premier League Golden Boot award for his outstanding performance during the 2018/19 season. Additionally, he played a pivotal role in guiding the Gunners to FA Cup victory in 2019/20, scoring crucial goals in both the semi-final and final matches against Manchester City and Chelsea.
However, his performance took a sharp downturn after he signed a lucrative £350,000-a-week contract extension in September 2020, ultimately leading to a mutual agreement to terminate his contract in February 2022.
3. Kai Havertz for £65m
Formerly hailed as the Bundesliga’s top talent, Kai Havertz faced a challenging stint during his time at Chelsea. He was placed in various roles that didn’t quite fit him, and this situation symbolized the issues at Stamford Bridge.
However, Arsenal showed their commitment by investing £65 million, as Mikel Arteta firmly believed he could guide the talented German attacking midfielder back to his peak form.
2. Nicolas Pepe for £72m
You’d hope for a superstar at a cost of £72 million, but Nicolas Pepe didn’t quite live up to that. In his first season, the Ivorian only scored five goals in the Premier League. He did better in his second season, doubling his goal tally. However, things went really bad in his third season, and he scored just one goal.
Arsenal is eager to part ways with Pepe, who not only holds the title of their most expensive player ever but has also been a costly disappointment. He was loaned to Nice for the 2022/23 season and might even be released before his contract ends in 2024.
1. Declan Rice for £105m (Most expensive in the history of Arsenal)
Following his pivotal role in West Ham United’s victory in the 2023 Europa Conference League final, Rice made the tough decision to leave his very first club.Â
Arsenal, determined to secure Declan Rice’s skills, broke their transfer record and successfully fended off competition from Manchester City and Bayern Munich to bring the English international on board. Rice is officially the most expensive transfer in Arsenal’s history.
When asked about Rice’s attributes, Arteta shared, “His leadership, the presence he exudes, and his extensive experience in this league. He’s set to elevate the team in a whole new way.”
“He possesses the physical qualities we’ve been lacking for quite some time,” Arteta continued. “That’s why we were determined to make this happen, as he holds significant importance for us.”
“Some time back, we discussed the need for players who could complement each other and provide us with added versatility, depth, and top-notch skills. We also wanted players with a burning desire to achieve greatness and raise the bar for themselves and the team.”