Arsenal’s most expensive signings ever

Despite embarking on a slow decline that culminated in outright toxicity following their Invincibles triumph and subsequent move to the Emirates in 2006, Arsenal still had the knack for snagging elite talent.

The club’s stadium switch tightened the purse strings for a while on the transfer front and the Gunners haven’t been able to spend at a rate comparable to their contemporary rivals.

Nevertheless, the Kroenkes aren’t exactly strapped for cash and the club has frequently smashed its own transfer record since KSE took ownership in 2011.

Here are the ten most expensive signings in Arsenal’s history.

Shkodran Mustafi’s time at Arsenal was troubled, although there were times he looked like a world beater.

The German was a regular at the heart of the Gunners backline after joining for a pricey £35m from Valencia in 2016, with Arsene Wenger and Unai Emery both placing their trust in the impulsive defender.

However, his 151 appearances in north London were riddled with mishaps and lapses in concentration and it was no surprise Mikel Arteta had little interest in retaining the German once he took charge in 2019.

On the contrary, Alexis Sanchez was worth every penny and then some of the £35m Arsenal spent to prise him away from Barcelona.

The Chilean served as the club’s beacon of hope during their decline towards the end of Wenger’s lengthy reign and some would argue there were points when he was the best player the Premier League had to offer.

Sanchez’s 2016/17 campaign was nothing short of majestic as he notched 24 league goals before inspiring the Gunners to FA Cup glory. The masterful forward scored in the final against Chelsea after netting at Wembley against Aston Villa two years prior.

Had Xhaka departed for Roma in 2021 as he was expected to, the midfielder’s Arsenal legacy would have been tainted by ill discipline and that infamous walk-off against Crystal Palace.

However, in the two years since, the Switzerland international has turned his career around and emerged as a genuine fan favourite at the Emirates. Xhaka’s blossomed as Arteta’s iron man, with his new role in 2022/23 inspiring the best and most productive season of his Gunners career.

The midfielder’s leadership is valued highly by the Spanish boss, but he now seems ready to set off into the sunset following an excellent campaign.

There isn’t a signing in Arsenal’s history that generated as much buzz as Ozil’s arrival at the end of the 2013 summer transfer window. Life was sweet for Gooners over that brief period.

After beating Tottenham 1-0 in the north London derby on 1 September, the Gunners announced the addition of the Real Madrid playmaker the following day. Ozil arrived with a lofty reputation and certainly didn’t disappoint supporters.

His first few years at the club were sensational and he came close to breaking Thierry Henry’s single-season assist record in 2015/16, but tactical evolution rendered him surplus to requirements by the time Arteta took charge.

Arsenal’s morphing into Man City lite started with the addition of Gabriel Jesus in 2022.

The Brazilian had played an under-the-radar role in the club’s success under Pep Guardiola and opted for a new challenge in the form of the emerging Gunners.

Jesus’ immediate impact was transformative as he started 2022/23 like a house on fire before slowing down ahead of the World Cup. A knee injury sustained in Qatar hampered the remainder of his debut season, but Jesus showed enough to suggest he has a key role to play in Arteta’s project moving forward.

Arsenal had no Champions League football to offer Partey when he signed in 2020, depicting the club’s historical pull despite their modern issues.

The Ghanaian was the first major coup of Arteta’s tenure and while injuries have compromised the player’s time in north London, there’s no denying Partey’s influence on this Arsenal team and the role he’s played in the club’s rise.

The Gunners’ 2021/22 season faltered down the stretch in his absence and they were at their best during the first half of 2022/23 with a fit and firing Partey at the base of midfield.

Wenger turned to his homeland in search of a new marksman heading into what would be his final season in charge. The Gunners stumbled upon Lyon hitman Lacazette and made him their record signing in 2017.

However, the forward’s athletic limitations and profligacy in front of goal frustrated supporters, and while he consistently hit double-digit scoring tallies in the Premier League, he never scored more than 14 in a single season.

While Lacazette had some wonderful moments in an Arsenal shirt and was a serviceable option throughout his time at the club, he didn’t turn out to be the ruthless goalscorer Arsenal thought they were signing.

KSE are intent on the Arteta project proving successful and they’ve backed their Spanish boss with funds in recent windows.

Some of the club’s signings under Arteta and Edu Gaspar have raised eyebrows and the cash splashed to sign White from Brighton was questioned by many.

Nevertheless, White has proven to be an excellent addition since joining at the start of the 2021/22 campaign. The silky defender impressed during his debut season before reaching new heights in a seemingly unfamiliar right-back position in 2022/23.

The technically-gifted defender has quickly blossomed into a fan favourite in north London, with his carefree and laid-back persona enamouring many.

After signing Lacazette to a record-breaking deal ahead of the 2017/18 season, Arsenal pulled a rabbit out of the hat midway through the campaign by bringing in Borussia Dortmund star Aubameyang for £56m.

The Gabonese forward had scored at an alarming rate in Germany and it didn’t take long for the striker to usurp Lacazette as Arsenal’s leading marksman.

Aubameyang starred for the Gunners and was eventually named club captain, scoring 92 goals in 163 games. However, his once strong relationship with Arteta soured and he departed in rather acrimonious fashion midway through the 2021/22 season.

Very few on the red side of north London batted an eyelid when the club splurged a mammoth £72m to sign Pepe from Lille in 2019. The dynamic Ivorian winger scored 22 Ligue 1 goals the season prior and the excitement was palpable among Gooners regarding their shiny new toy.

Pepe, however, never lived up to his price tag.

The winger wasn’t a complete bust and certainly flashed his talent during his debut season in north London, but the arrival of Arteta spelled trouble for the club-record signing.

Inefficiency in the final third and a lack of defensive astuteness saw Bukayo Saka soar past Pepe in the depth chart, and after he spent the 2022/23 season on loan at Nice, it’s likely we’ve already see the last of Pepe in an Arsenal shirt.

He’ll end his career in north London with 27 goals and 21 assists in 112 games.