Selling well has not always been Arsenal's strong point – but there have been some exceptions
During the early days of Arsene Wenger, Arsenal were known for cashing in on players for big profit, but nowadays they find things far more difficult.
The Gunners’ struggles to get big transfer fees has been the source of much frustration from fans, who have seen plenty of star names opt to run down their contracts and leave on a free transfer over the course of the past decade.
There have been some success stories along the way, however, with academy graduates Alex Iwobi and Joe Willock bringing in some big money during the past five years.
Here, GOAL takes a look at the most expensive players ever sold by the north London club.
Arsenal biggest sales by season
Season
Biggest sale
Fee
Total sales
2022-23
Matteo Guendouzi
£10m
£21m
2021-22
Joe Willock
£25m
£27m
2020-21
Emiliano Martinez
£20m
£22m
2019-20
Alex Iwobi
£35m
£55m
2018-19
Lucas Perez
£4m
£8m
2017-18
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
£35m
£150m
2016-17
Serge Gnabry
£4.5m
£9m
2015-16
Lukas Podolski
£2.5m
£2.5m
2014-15
Thomas Vermaelen
£17m
£25m
2013-14
Gervinho
£7m
£10m
2012-13
Robin van Persie
£24m
£55m
2011-12
Cesc Fabregas
£30m
£70m
2010-11
Eduardo
£6.5m
£7m
2009-10
Emanuel Adebayor
£25m
£42m
2008-09
Alex Hleb
£15m
£23m
2007-08
Thierry Henry
£16m
£45m
2006-07
Ashley Cole
£7m
£11.5m
2005-06
Patrick Vieira
£13.7m
£18m
2004-05
Francis Jeffers
£3.5m
£3.5m
2003-04
Moritz Volz
£900k
£900k
2002-03
Richard Wright
£4.5m
£6m
2001-02
Nelson Vivas
£6m
£10m
2000-01
Marc Overmars
£25m
£36.5m
1999-2000
Nicolas Anelka
£23m
£30m
Arsenal top 10 most expensive player salesGetty ImagesNicolas Anelka | £23m | Real Madrid | 1999
It felt like Anelka left Arsenal almost as soon as he arrived, but what an impact he made with the club.
Signed as a relatively unknown 17-year-old from Paris Saint Germain by Arsene Wenger for just £500,000 ($600,000), it took Anelka less than a year to force his way into the first-team and muscle Ian Wright out of the picture.
Anelka’s goals helped Arsenal win the league and cup double in his first full season and he went on to score 19 goals in all competitions during the following campaign as Wenger’s side just lost out on the title to Manchester United.
But he then forced through a move to Real Madrid, joining the Spanish giants for around £23m ($27.7m).
At the time it felt like a huge blow to Arsenal, but Wenger would replace Anelka with Thierry Henry later that summer. The rest is history……
AdvertisementGetty ImagesRobin van Persie | £24m | Manchester United | 2012
One of the most painful transfer deals Arsenal fans have had to endure in recent times.
Van Persie was club captain and had just come off a sensational season that saw him score 44 goals in 57 games for club and country.
Arsene Wenger had been hopeful that his skipper would sign a new contract and Arsenal fans believed the forward owed their manager some loyalty after he had stood by him during some injury-ridden years in north London.
But Van Persie announced in the summer of 2021 that he would not be signing a new deal, forcing Arsenal to cash in on a player who had just one year remaining of his current contract.
Van Persie would go on to win the Premier League title at the end of his first season with United.
Samir Nasri | £25m | Manchester City | 2011
This was a long drawn out affair, with Manchester City having launched a summer long pursuit of Samir Nasri in 2011.
City, who were then managed by Roberto Mancini, had already signed Gael Clichy and Emmanuel Adebayor from the Gunners and were busy flexing their newly found financial muscle as they looked to compete with Manchester United for the Premier League title.
Nasri had spent the past four years at Arsenal following an £11m ($13m) move from Marseille and had just come off a fine 2010/11 campaign which saw him score 15 goals in all competitions for the Gunners.
He would go on to spend the next six years with Manchester City, winning the Premier League title twice.
Getty ImagesEmmanuel Adebayor | £25m | Manchester City | 2009
Another player to swap Arsenal for Manchester City in a big money move.
This was a transfer that dominated the summer of 2009, with Adebayor infuriating the Arsenal fanbase by agreeing to the switch to the Etihad Stadium.
The striker spent three-and-a-half seasons with the Gunners after joining them from Monaco for £7m ($8.4m) and scored 62 goals in 142 games.
But having publicly flirted with a move to Real Madrid in 2008, his relationship with the Arsenal fans became strained and his switch to City the following summer provoked huge controversy, as did his infamous celebration when he scored against the Gunners soon after completing his move.