Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has overseen a massive overhaul of his playing team since his arrival, spending enough money in the transfer market to turn him into a regular silverware challenger, but who is the club’s most expensive signature?
Here, with the help of TransferMarkt and news reports, we’ve seen the most expensive signatures in Arsenal’s history and a detailed look at the top 10.
Arsenal’s most expensive signature ever | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Rank | player | year | signature | commission |
1 | Declan Rice | 2023 | West Ham | £105 million |
2 | Nicholas Pepe | 2019 | reel | £72 million |
3 | Kai Havertz | 2023 | Chelsea | £65 million |
4 | Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang | 2018 | Borussia Dortmund | £56 million |
5 | Ben White | 2022 | Brighton | £50 million |
6 | Alexandre Lacazette | 2017 | Lyon | £46.5m |
7 | Thomas Party | 2020 | Atletico Madrid | £45.3 million |
8 | Gabriel Jesus | 2022 | Man City | £45 million |
9 | Mesut Ozil | 2013 | real madrid | £42.4m |
10 | Ricardo Carafri | 2024 | Bologna | £42 million |
11 | Julientimber | 2023 | ajax | £38.5m |
= 12 | Skodran Mustafi | 2016 | Valencia | 35m |
= 12 | Granite Zaka | 2016 | Borussia Monche Gladbach | 35m |
= 12 | Alexis Sanchez | 2014 | Barcelona | 35m |
15 | Fabio Vieira | 2022 | FC Porto | £34.2m |
16 | Mikel Merino | 2024 | Real Sociedad | £31.6 million |
= 17 | Oleksandr Zinchenko | 2022 | Man City | £30 million |
= 17 | Aaron Ramsdale | 2021 | Sheffield United | £30 million |
= 17 | Martin Odegard | 2021 | real madrid | £30 million |
= 20 | David Raya | 2024 | Brentford | £27 million |
= 20 | William Saliba | 2019 | Saint-Etienne | £27 million |
Find out more about Arsenal’s 10 most expensive signatures.
10
Ricardo Carafri
Ricardo Carafri
£42 million from Bologna in 2024
Versatile Italian defender Ricardo Calafioli was the signature of Arsenal’s marquee in the summer 2024 transfer window. His arrival came after appearing in Azzurri at the European Championships, but he was also helping Bologna become an unlikely Champions League spot.
Karafiori soon loves himself to Arsenal fans after scoring his first goal in a crunch clash with Manchester City at Etihad Stadium in September 2024.
9
Mesut Ozil
Mesut Ozil
£42.4 million from Real Madrid in 2013
Playmaker Mesut Ozil, signed by Arsene Wenger, signed the Arsenal record in 2013 at margins.
It was a transfer of a statement by the gunner to sign the German offensive midfielder, with Ozil dazzling in the last third of North London. He spent eight years in Arsenal books before retiring in 2023, before two short stints in Turkey.
8
Gabriel Jesus
Gabriel Jesus
£45 million from Manchester City in 2022
After working with Arteta of Manchester City, Gabriel Jesus traded Etihad for the Emirates in 2022, trying to solve Arsenal’s shortcomings in front of the goal, taking a picture of the famous No. 9 shirt in the process.
The Brazilian started off well, scoring 11 goals in his first full season with Gunners, but suffering many injuries during his time in North London.
7
Thomas Party
Thomas Party
£45.3 million from Atletico Madrid in 2020
Next on the list is midfielder Thomas Party. Thomas Party was one of Arteta’s first big money signatures, in charge of the gunners.
After naming him as one of Spain’s best defensive midfielders, Partey, who arrived in 2020, continued to play more than 100 times for Arsenal.
6
Alexandre Lacazette
Alexandre Lacazette
£46.5 million from Lyon 2017
French forward Alexandre Lacazette joined Arsenal from Lyon in 2017.
He spent five years with the Emirates, making over 200 appearances, scoring 71 times and winning the FA Cup. Lacazette leaves Arsenal on a free transfer and returns to Lyon, where he is off as a club icon.
5
Ben White
Ben White
£50 million from Brighton 2021
After lending with Leeds United in the championship and impacting Brighton and the Premier League, Arsenal won the race in 2021 to sign Ben White.
The versatile defender has been a regular at Arsenal ever since, and has transformed into a right-back under Arteta until 2028, due to a contract with the gunner.
4
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
£56 million from Borussia Dortmund in 2018
In 2018, Arsenal spent big to add firepower to the attack, with Pierre Emerick Aubameyang joining from Borussia Dortmund. In total, Aubameyang scored 92 goals in 163 appearances and won the 2020 FA Cup final.
Aubameyang and Lacazette have had a good relationship in North London, but like his former strike partner, he left Arsenal in 2022 and returned to England for a brief stint with Chelsea.
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3
Kai Havertz
Kai Havertz
£65 million from Chelsea in 2023
Chelsea have regained most of the transfer fees they paid to Bayer Leverkusen to Kai Herberts when they sold him to Arsenal in 2023, and the German attacker has signed a five-year deal with the Emirates.
The versatile forward has been deployed in many positions by Arteta up until now, and it appears to be a valuable signature for the future.
2
Nicholas Pepe
Nicholas Pepe
£72 million from the 2019 reel
The signature of the big name that ultimately didn’t work was Nicholas Pepe. Arsenal starred in France for Lille in 2019, then blew Iborian cash out in 2019.
However, Pepe never really grasped his life in the UK. After 112 appearances for the club, he scored 27 times, remaining on a free transfer despite 12 months remaining on his contract in 2023.
1
Declan Rice
Declan Rice
£105 million from West Ham in 2023
Arsenal’s record signature Declan Rice was also sought after Manchester City in the summer of 2023, but after building a lot of land a few months ago it was the gunners who won the race.
With England International still under contract until 2028, he appears to be a key member of Arteta’s side for years to come.