Arsenal have spent big in the past to try and bring further success to the club, and they may be primed for some more major moves in the transfer market very soon.
With the Gunners among the favourites in the football betting to win the 2025/26 Premier League, the team has been busy expanding its talent pool in recent years. Over the course of the 2020s, some of Arsenal’s biggest transfers in history have taken the club to three consecutive runner-up finishes, but the club will be hoping recent acquisitions can take them to the top.
With many touting them as favourites to finally earn their first league title since 2004, we’ve decided to look back at the most expensive Arsenal signings in history. While the club haven’t always been able to pay huge fees to improve their squad, they have made plenty of memorable purchases down the years, and splashed the cash when required at times.
Read on to see which Gunners players topped our list:
1. Declan Rice from West Ham (July 2023) – £105million
Arsenal’s record signing arrived in 2023 from capital rivals West Ham, when the club brought in England midfielder Declan Rice in a deal worth up to £105 million.
After leading the Hammers to Europa Conference League glory, Rice made the switch to the Emirates, and he has lived up to expectations for the Gunners. He has scored 18 goals in 127 appearances so far, while he’s also weighed in with 26 assists.
Rice was named Arsenal’s player of the year last season and sensationally scored two direct free-kicks in the stunning 3-0 home win over Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final in April.
2. Nicolas Pepe from Lille (August 2019) – £72million
Nicolas Pepe was tipped to take the Premier League by storm when he joined from French side Lille in 2019 for a then-club-record fee of £72million, but he failed to maintain his fine goalscoring form in England.
The forward underwhelmed in his first season, managing just eight goals, and was eventually loaned to Nice in 2022 before leaving the Gunners for Trabzonspor a year later, following the termination of his contract.
3. Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace (August 2025) – £67.5 million
Fresh off scoring a winning volley against Manchester City in the 2025 FA Cup final, which earned Crystal Palace the first major trophy in the club’s history, Eze was approached by multiple clubs about a possible transfer. At first, he was tipped to sign with the Gunners’ #1 rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, but he put pen to paper in August 2025 to join Arsenal, fulfilling a childhood dream in the process.
Following a four-year £67.5 million deal with the club, Eze became one of Arsenal’s most expensive signings in history. He immediately made a huge impression, scoring his first goal less than a month after signing, and making headlines with a hat-trick against Spurs in November 2025.
4. Kai Havertz from Chelsea (June 2023) – £65 million
Germany international Kai Havertz had caught the eye at Chelsea and joined Arsenal for £65 million in 2023. His ability to play as both an attacking midfielder and a striker has made him a valuable asset for the team.
After making a relatively slow start to life at the Emirates in his first season, Havertz has proved his worth as a centre-forward for the Gunners, scoring 22 goals in 61 appearances across all competitions.
5. Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad (July 2025) – £56 million
Defensive midfielder Martin Zubimendi was wanted by Liverpool in 2024, but opted to stay at Real Sociedad, where he excelled in La Liga.
A big-money move to Arsenal has raised his profile further, and the classy Spain international has fit in well at the Emirates. He has scored twice since joining the club, with his guidance helping Arsenal become favourites for the 2025-26 Premier League title.
6. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund (January 2018) – £56 million
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had been prolific for Borussia Dortmund and continued that goalscoring form for Arsenal, netting 10 goals in just 13 Premier League games in the second half of the 2018-19 season.
The following year, he was outstanding, eventually sharing the Golden Boot with the Liverpool duo Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, all with 22 league goals. He maintained his excellent form with another 22 Premier League goals the following season.
Aubameyang’s time at Arsenal ended disappointingly, though. After some disciplinary problems, he joined Barcelona in February 2022. While he hasn’t gone down as one of the best Arsenal strikers of all time, he was still a fierce competitor in his prime.
7. Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City (July 2022) – £55 million
Striker Gabriel Jesus had starred for Manchester City for six years, scoring 95 goals in all competitions and winning the Premier League four times, before becoming one of Arsenal’s most expensive signings in the summer of 2022.
Jesus has not been as devastating at Arsenal, as injuries have affected him badly, although he has still managed 26 goals and 20 assists with the side.
Although the Brazilian is making fewer starts with the team and his future at the Gunners is beginning to look uncertain, he has still made an impact in his few recent appearances, including a goal scored against Aston Villa in an emphatic 4-1 victory to round out 2025.
8. Viktor Gyökeres from Sporting CP (July 2025) – £55 million
From 2023 to 2025, Swedish striker Viktor Gyökeres was a key player for Primeira Liga team Sporting CP, leading them to two consecutive championships and finishing the 2024-25 season as the league’s leading goalscorer.
He made headlines in June of 2025 after an initial £55 million bid for him was rejected, but this was later accepted a few weeks later at the end of July. Despite receiving fan criticism in his early games at Arsenal, he would go on to score three goals in his first five games.
9. Noni Madueke from Chelsea (July 2025) – £52 million
England winger Noni Madueke first turned heads at Dutch side PSV Eindhoven, where he scored 11 goals in 51 league appearances. He was later snapped up by Chelsea in 2023, before Arsenal made a bid for him in 2025.
Many Arsenal fans were unhappy with the transfer news at first, starting a ‘#NoToMadueke’ campaign on Twitter, which Declan Rice later criticised. The deal was finalised in July of 2025, with Madueke debuting for the Gunners in August, although a September knee injury would leave him out of action for two months.
10. Ben White from Brighton (July 2021) – £50 million
Defender Ben White was a surprising big-money addition to Arsenal’s ranks in the summer of 2021, but he has since proved himself to be one of the best right-backs in Europe.
White missed a large chunk of the 2024-25 due to a serious knee injury, but he has still racked up 171 appearances in all competitions, scoring six goals for the Gunners.
Who are some of Arsenal’s other biggest signings of all time?
Which of the most expensive Arsenal transfers just missed out on a spot in our top ten? Here are some of the Arsenal players who cost big money but failed to break into our list:
Alexandre Lacazette from Lyon (July 2017) – £46.5 million
French striker Alexandre Lacazette was one of the big stars in Ligue 1 for Lyon, and after he plundered 28 league goals in the 2016-17 season, he made the move to England, joining Arsenal for £46.5million.
Lacazette fared well in his debut campaign at the Emirates, scoring 14 league goals, and followed up with 13 in the top-flight the next season.
However, he only managed four Premier League goals in his final season at the club before returning to Lyon in the summer of 2022.
Thomas Partey from Atletico Madrid (October 2020) – £45 million
Arsenal paid Thomas Partey’s release clause to lure him from Atletico Madrid in 2020 for £45million and he has been an influential player under Mikel Arteta in recent years.
The midfielder was missed when he sat out a lot of the 2023-24 season due to injury, but he was a regular last season again before being allowed to depart this summer upon the expiry of his contract.
Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid (September 2013) – £42.5 million
After being a league and cup winner with Real Madrid, Mesut Ozil was a statement purchase by Arsenal in 2013, and the creative midfielder was tipped to become a Premier League star.
Supremely talented, Ozil never quite lived up to expectations in England, though, and during his eight years at Arsenal, he scored 44 goals in 254 games, while he also won the FA Cup four times.
Looking to whet your appetite with even more football insights? Our football blog has everything you need to catch up. For instance, learn about the Emirates’ most iconic players with our list of the top 10 greatest Arsenal players of all time, or see who jumped the North London divide with the best players to play for both Arsenal and Spurs.
