Arsenal are still looking to win their first Premier League title in more than 20 years and have splashed the cash in recent seasons on new signings.
However, the Gunners have also sold a number of academy stars in recent years and have a history of dealings with Barcelona and Manchester City, but who is the club’s most expensive departure?
Here is Arsenal’s most expensive sales in their history, with the help of data from news reports and Transfermarkt, with a detailed look at the top 10.
Arsenal's most expensive signings of all time
The Gunners have spent generously in recent years.
ByCharlie SmithSep 5, 2025
Rank
Player
Fee
Sold to
Year
Folarin Balogun
£35m
Monaco
2023
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
£35m
Liverpool
2017
Cesc Fabregas
£35m
Barcelona
2012
Emile Smith Rowe
£34m
Fulham
2024
Alex Iwobi
£34m
Everton
2019
Eddie Nketiah
£30m
Crystal Palace
2024
Aaron Ramsdale
£25m
Southampton
2024
Joe Willock
£25m
Newcastle
2021
Samir Nasri
£25m
Man City
2011
Emmanuel Adebayor
£25m
Man City
2009
Marc Overmars
£25m
Barcelona
2000
Robin van Persie
£24m
Man Utd
2012
Nicolas Anelka
£23.5m
Real Madrid
1999
Granit Xhaka
£21.4m
Leverkusen
2023
Theo Walcott
£20m
Everton
2018
Olivier Giroud
£18m
Chelsea
2018
Emiliano Martinez
£17m
Aston Villa
2020
Thierry Henry
£16.1m
Barcelona
2007
Thomas Vermaelen
£15m
Barcelona
2014
Alex Song
£15m
Barcelona
2012
Here’s a detailed look at Arsenal’s top 10 sales… 10 Emmanuel Adebayor £25m to Man City, 2009
When Manchester City began to flex their newfound financial muscle, Arsenal were one of the clubs they visited most often to pick off talent.
Adebayor’s £25m switch to Eastlands was swiftly followed by the capture of Kolo Toure, who cost the Citizens £14m. Of course, Adebayor burned what bridges he had left with Arsenal fans when he celebrated in front of them in their first meeting just weeks later.
9 Samir Nasri £25m to Man City, 2011
Manchester City came calling again in the summer of 2011, as Samir Nasri was the latest to tread that particular path out of Arsenal. In fairness to the Frenchman, he won trophies in his first season, vindicating his move, which followed a year of dazzling performances in north London.
Another £25m was headed Arsenal’s way as a result, with the Gunners welcoming the likes of Gervinho that summer.
8 Joe Willock £25m to Newcastle, 2021
Midfielder Joe Willock made a £25m move to Newcastle United in 2021 after a successful loan spell at St James’ Park.
Soon after his loan arrival, Willock scored in seven successive Premier League games, matching Alan Shearer’s Magpies record, which resulted in the Toon spending big and handing the player a six-year deal.
7 Aaron Ramsdale £25m to Southampton, 2024
Aaron Ramsdale ended three years at Arsenal by sealing a summer switch to Southampton in the summer of 2024. The Saints paid an initial £18m for the goalkeeper, with the fee potentially rising to £25m.
Whether conditions for that are met remains to be seen, though one suspects that the south coast club’s struggles in the Premier League cast doubt over Arsenal getting full whack for their former player.
6 Eddie Nketiah £30m to Crystal Palace, 2024
Striker Eddie Nketiah spent seven years as a professional with the Gunners after coming through the academy, having also spent six months on loan with Leeds United in 2019.
Nketiah made more than 100 first-team appearances for Arsenal, but could never nail down a regular first-choice starting spot, resulting in an eye-catching £30m exit across London to join Crystal Palace in 2024.
5 Alex Iwobi £34m to Everton, 2019
Continuing the theme of academy players leaving Arsenal is Alex Iwobi, who joined Everton for £34m in 2019.
The Nigeria international made 149 appearances for the Gunners, contributing to 39 goals, the last of which came in the Europa League final defeat to Chelsea in 2019.
4 Emile Smith Rowe £34m to Fulham, 2024
After falling out of favour under Mikel Arteta and struggling with injuries, Emile Smith Rowe sealed a permanent Arsenal exit in 2024, becoming Fulham’s most expensive signing in the process.
The attacking midfielder was tipped for big things after coming through the Gunners academy and has started brightly at Craven Cottage.
3 Cesc Fabregas £35m to Barcelona, 2011
Iconic midfielder Cesc Fabregas swapped Barcelona for Arsenal as a teenager in 2003 and quickly broke into Arsene Wenger’s first-team plans in north London.
The Spaniard would go on to spend nine years in an Arsenal shirt before returning to the Nou Camp in a £35m deal. To make things worse for the Gunners, Fabregas would move back to England in 2014, this time with Chelsea.
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ByMark MarstonJul 3, 2023 2 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain £35m to Liverpool, 2017
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s move to Liverpool in 2017 is one of Arsenal’s most expensive departures.
Signed from Southampton in 2011, Oxlade-Chamberlain won three FA Cups and three Community Shields with the Gunners, making 198 appearances in total.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool came knocking and forked out a £35m fee for the Englishman, who would go on to win the Premier League and Champions League at Anfield.
1 Folarin Balogun £35m to Monaco, 2023
Currently top of the charts as Arsenal’s record sale is Folarin Balogun, who joined Monaco in 2023 after failing to break through to the first team from the Arsenal academy.
Balogun impressed in France with Reims the season before to catch Monaco’s attention, with the attacker penning a deal until 2028 with the Ligue 1 side.
His £35m switch is all the more impressive from the Gunners’ perspective given he was hardly in the first-team picture at the time of his departure.