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Arsenal’s most expensive signings of all time, including £72m man Nicolas Pepe and more

Billy Meyers

Tue 11 February 2025 14:11, UK Updated Wed 12 February 2025 14:58, UK

Arsenal boast a rich history when it comes to recruiting players who have developed into Premier League legends.

It was the Gunners who summoned the likes of Thierry Henry and Robert Pires to these shores, a dynamic duo who helped Arsene Wenger take the Premier League by storm.

However, for all Arsenal’s success in the market, there have been a few costly mistakes – namely the £35m signing of Shkodran Mustafi, who was eventually allowed to leave for free.

On that note, let’s take a look at the ten most expensive signings in the history of Arsenal.

Riccardo Calafiori

• £42m
• Bologna to Arsenal (July 2024)

At number ten on the list is Riccardo Calafiori.

The Italy international was signed in a £42m deal from Bologna back in July 2024 after impressing at UEFA Euro 2024 with his💖 mesmerising runs from deep.

Calafiori has shown impressive attacking intent with well-taken goals away to Manchester City and Wolves, although his injury record pr🐟ovides some cause for concern, having missꦗed 14 games for the Gunners at the time of writing.

Mesut Ozil

• £42.5m
• Real Madrid to Arsenal (September 2013)

Mesut Ozil is arguably the one who generated the mosಌt excitement upon his arrival from 🍌those featured on this list.

The German was signed in a shock £42.5m deadline day deal from Real Madrid ba🌊ck in Septe𝔉mber 2013.

Ozil went on to score 44 goals and provide 74 assists in 254 appearances f🤡or Arsenal, helping the Gunners win the FA C✤up on four occasions.

Thomas Partey

• £50m
• Atletico Madrid to Arsenal (October 2020)

Like Ozil, Thomas Partey was also a deadline day sig♈ning, with Arsenal moving to trigger theಞ £45m release clause written into his contract back in October 2020.

The Ghana international is yet to win anything under Mikel Arteta aside from the FA Community Shie⭕ld, and may only have the 2024/25 campaign to 🐼lift a major trophy with his contract expiring in June.

Arteta is planning contract talks with Partey, however.

Gabriel Jesus

• £45m
• Manchester City to Arsenal (July 2022)

Gabriel Jesus arrived at Arsenal in a £45m move ♛from Manchester City back i🀅n July 2022.

The Brazil international has struggled to stay fit a💞t times, missing 56 games through injury for the Gunners, but still boasts a reﷺspectable 26 goals and 17 assists in 96 appearances.

Alexandre Lacazette

• £46.5m
• Lyon to Arsenal (July 2017)

In one of his final headline signings before retirement, Wenger moved to spend £46.5m on a deal to bring Alexandre Lacazette from Lyon to Arsenal.

The build-up play 😮‍💨
The Lacazette finish 💥

— Arsenal (@Arsenal)

The🐬 Frenchman scored just 94 seconds into his Premier League debut – and went on to net 71 goals in 2016 appea🤡rances for Arsenal, winning one FA Cup.

Ben White

• £50m
• Brighton to Arsenal (July 2021)

Ben White co𒁃st Arsenal £50m back in July 2021 when the Gunners pushed to sign the England intern𒆙ational from Brighton.

The classy defender has impressed for Arsenal as both a centre-back and a right-back, ensuring Arteta has a versatile option to call upon i🍌n defence.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

• £56m
• Borussia Dortmund to Arsenal (January 2018)

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang remains the most expensive January signing Arsena♔l💎 have ever made.

Not satisfied with his £46.5m swoop for Lacazette just months before, Wenger spent £56m to bring the Gabon international to north London in January ও2018𓆏.

Another great team goal for Mikel Arteta’s 🙌

Passing from front to back, captain ��Aubameyang with a sublime finish 🔥ꦫ

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt)

Aubameyang was largely a huge success at the Emirates Sta🌱dium before ultimately falling out with Arteta, impressively scoring 92 goals and providing 20 assists in 163 appearances, winning one FA Cupꦆ.

Kai Havertz

• £65m
• Chelsea to Arsenal (June 2023)

Arsenal spent £65m to sign Kai Havertz from Chelsea back in June 2023.

Despite occasionally coming under fire for missing some glorious chances, the Germany international has a respectabꦿle 29 goals and 12 assists in 85 appearances for Arsenal so far, with 15 of those strikes coming this season – the 2024/25 campaign.

Nicolas Pepe

• £72m
• Lille to Arsenal (August 2019)

There is no doubt Nicolas Pepe was a poor signing by Arsenal.

The Gunners smashed their transfer🌺 record to bring the Ivorian♛ to N5 from Lille in a £72m deal back in August 2019.

However, Pepe eventually saw his contract ended one year early in September 2023 and moved to Trabzonspor in Turkey on a free transfer, after netting 27 goa🌺ls in 112 games for Arsenal.

Declan Rice

• £105m
• West Ham to Arsenal (July 2023)

Declan Rice remains the most expensive player Arsenal have ever signed.

Declan Rice fires in an early opening goal for Arsenal 😮‍💨

Clinical forward play!

📺 &

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt)

Dazzled by the England international’s efforts at West Ham, Arteta convinced the Kroenke famꦓily to spend £105m on the marauding midfielder, which also saw him become the most expe🌼nsive British player in football history.

At the time of writing, Rice – who Chelsea released – boasts ten goals and 17 assists in 84 appe🌞arances for Arsenal.