da bwin： The Gunners have not been afraid to spend big in the transfer market in recent years
da brwin： There was a period of time following Arsenal’s move from Highbury to Emirates Stadium where money was tight and Arsene Wenger was forced to count the pennies.
That all changed, however, when Mesut Ozil sensationally arrived from Real Madrid in 2013 for a club-record £42.5 million ($51m).
Since then, the Gunners have not held back in the transfer market and have gone on to break the club’s transfer record on a further three occasions in an attempt to compete with Europe’s elite.
Here, GOAL takes a look at the top 15 most expensive signings in Arsenal history.
Arsenal top 15 most expensive transfersGetty ImagesFabio Vieira | £30m | Porto | 2022
A signing that came completely out of the blue.
Few had even heard of Fabio Vieira when it suddenly emerged that Arsenal were bringing him in from Porto ahead of the 2022-23 season.
The playmaker arrived with exciting pedigree, however, having established himself as a key player for the Portuguese giants as they won the 2021-22 title.
And manager Mikel Arteta was quick to hail his new arrival: “I am very excited that we have identified and signed such a special talent.
“Fabio is a very creative player that will bring high quality and versatility to our attacking play.”
AdvertisementGettyMartin Odegaard | £30m | Real Madrid | 2021
The Norway international had already enjoyed a fine loan spell with the Gunners before his move from Real Madrid was made permanent in the summer of 2021.
As expected, Odegaard slotted in seamlessly after his return to north London and is often the heartbeat of Arsenal’s attack, pulling the strings behinds the forward line.
A price tag of just £30m ($36m) always looked like a bargain and that’s how it’s proved, with the playmaker quickly becoming one of Arsenal’s most important players.
Getty ImagesAlexis Sanchez | £30m | Barcelona | 2014
Things may not have ended well between Alexis Sanchez and Arsenal, but the Chile international was a sensation during his first couple of years in north London.
Signed from Barcelona after the 2014 World Cup, Sanchez was an instant hit with the Gunners and at £30m he was worth every penny.
When he left four years later to join Manchester United with just six months remaining on his contract, Arsenal landed Henrikh Mkhitaryan in return.
It’s safe to say things didn’t really work out for either player at their new clubs.
GettyGranit Xhaka | £35m | Borussia Monchengladbach | 2016
Love him or loathe him, Granit Xhaka has certainly given Arsenal longevity following his £35m ($42m) move from Germany in 2016.
The Switzerland international has made more than 250 appearances for the Gunners and has won the FA Cup twice.
He was even made club captain by Unai Emery in 2019, only for that honour to be cut short after his ugly spat on-field with Arsenal fans.
Many will argue about how much value for money Xhaka has given the club over the years, but one thing that can’t be questioned is his ability to bounce back from seemingly irreversible situations.