Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has overseen a massive overhaul of his playing squad since his arrival, spending plenty of money in the transfer market to turn his side into regular challengers for silverware, but who is the club’s most expensive signing of all time?
Here, we’ve taken a look at Arsenal’s most expensive signings in their history, with the help of Transfermarkt and news reports, alongside a detailed look at the top 10.
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Arsenal’s most expensive signings of all time |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Rank |
Player |
Year |
Signed from |
Fee |
|
1 |
Declan Rice |
2023 |
West Ham |
£105m |
|
2 |
Nicolas Pepe |
2019 |
Lille |
£72m |
|
3 |
Kai Havertz |
2023 |
Chelsea |
£65m |
|
4 |
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang |
2018 |
Borussia Dortmund |
£56m |
|
5 |
Ben White |
2022 |
Brighton |
£50m |
|
6 |
Alexandre Lacazette |
2017 |
Lyon |
£46.5m |
|
7 |
Thomas Partey |
2020 |
Atletico Madrid |
£45.3m |
|
8 |
Gabriel Jesus |
2022 |
Man City |
£45m |
|
9 |
Mesut Ozil |
2013 |
Real Madrid |
£42.4m |
|
10 |
Riccardo Calafiori |
2024 |
Bologna |
£42m |
|
11 |
Jurrien Timber |
2023 |
Ajax |
£38.5m |
|
=12 |
Shkodran Mustafi |
2016 |
Valencia |
£35m |
|
=12 |
Granit Xhaka |
2016 |
Borussia Monchengladbach |
£35m |
|
=12 |
Alexis Sanchez |
2014 |
Barcelona |
£35m |
|
15 |
Fabio Vieira |
2022 |
FC Porto |
£34.2m |
|
16 |
Mikel Merino |
2024 |
Real Sociedad |
£31.6m |
|
=17 |
Oleksandr Zinchenko |
2022 |
Man City |
£30m |
|
=17 |
Aaron Ramsdale |
2021 |
Sheffield United |
£30m |
|
=17 |
Martin Odegaard |
2021 |
Real Madrid |
£30m |
|
=20 |
David Raya |
2024 |
Brentford |
£27m |
|
=20 |
William Saliba |
2019 |
Saint-Etienne |
£27m |
Here’s a detailed look at Arsenal’s 10 most expensive signings:
10
Riccardo Calafiori
£42m from Bologna, 2024
Versatile Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori was Arsenal’s marquee signing of the 2024 summer transfer window. His arrival came after starring for the Azzurri at the European Championship, while he had also helped Bologna to an unlikely Champions League spot.
Calafiori quickly endeared himself to the Arsenal fans after joining, netting his first goal in a crunch clash at the Etihad Stadium against Manchester City in September 2024.
9
Mesut Ozil
£42.4m from Real Madrid, 2013
Signed by Arsene Wenger, playmaker Mesut Ozil became Arsenal’s record signing by some margin back in 2013.
It was a statement transfer by the Gunners to sign the German attacking midfielder, with Ozil dazzling in the final third in north London. He’d spend eight years on the books at Arsenal before two short stints in Turkey prior to retiring in 2023.
8
Gabriel Jesus
£45m from Manchester City, 2022
After working with Arteta at Manchester City, Gabriel Jesus swapped the Etihad for the Emirates in 2022, looking to solve Arsenal’s shortcomings in front of goal, taking the famous no.9 shirt in the process.
The Brazilian started well, scoring 11 goals in his first full season with the Gunners, however, he has also suffered a number of injuries during his time in north London.
7
Thomas Partey
£45.3m from Atletico Madrid, 2020
Next on the list is holding midfielder Thomas Partey, who was one of Arteta’s first big-money signings in charge of the Gunners.
Arriving in 2020 after making his name as one of the best defensive midfielders in Spain, Partey has gone on to play more than 100 times for Arsenal.
6
Alexandre Lacazette
£46.5m from Lyon, 2017
French forward Alexandre Lacazette joined Arsenal in 2017 from Lyon after spending his entire career with the Ligue 1 side.
He went on to have five years at the Emirates, making more than 200 appearances and scoring 71 times, winning the FA Cup. Lacazette left Arsenal on a free transfer, returning to Lyon where he will go down as a club icon.
5
Ben White
£50m from Brighton, 2021
After starring out on loan with Leeds United in the Championship and making an impact in the Premier League with Brighton, Arsenal won the race to sign Ben White in 2021.
The versatile defender has been a regular for Arsenal since then and has been transformed into a right-back under Arteta, with his contract with the Gunners running until 2028.
4
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
£56m from Borussia Dortmund, 2018
In 2018, Arsenal spent big to add more firepower to their attack, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joining from Borussia Dortmund. In total, Aubameyang would go on to score 92 goals in 163 appearances, scoring the winner in the 2020 FA Cup final.
Aubameyang and Lacazette struck up a good relationship in north London, but like his former strike partner, he left Arsenal in 2022 before returning to England for a short stint with Chelsea.
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3
Kai Havertz
£65m from Chelsea, 2023
Chelsea recouped the majority of the transfer fee they paid Bayer Leverkusen for Kai Havertz when selling him to Arsenal in 2023, with the German attacker penning a five-year deal at the Emirates.
The versatile forward has been deployed in numerous positions by Arteta so far and looks to be a valuable signing going forward.
2
Nicolas Pepe
£72m from Lille, 2019
A big-money signing that ultimately didn’t work out was Nicolas Pepe. Arsenal splashed the cash on the Ivorian back in 2019 after starring in France for Lille.
However, Pepe never really got to grips with life in England and, after making 112 appearances for the club, scoring 27 times, left in 2023 on a free transfer despite having 12 months remaining on his contract at the time.
1
Declan Rice
£105m from West Ham, 2023
Comfortably Arsenal’s record signing, Declan Rice was also wanted by Manchester City during the summer of 2023, but it was the Gunners who won the race after laying plenty of groundwork months prior.
The England international is under contract until 2028, so he looks set to be an important member of Arteta’s side for years to come.