The impending arrival of Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber will take Arsenal’s summer spending over £200 million; Arsenal will now focus on selling players outside of Mikel Arteta‘s 2023/24 plans, with potential departures including Folarin Balogun, Nicolas Pepe, Nuno Tavares, Albert Sambi Lokonga, and Cedric Soares.
It will be interesting to see how Arsenal’s summer transfer window plays out. The club has already made some big signings, but they still have some work to do. If they can sell some of their unwanted players and bring in a few more quality signings, they could be a force to be reckoned with next season.
Declan Rice’s contract is ready and waiting.
One of the biggest transfer deals in English football arose when Arsenal swopped in on West Ham’s Declan Rice. Declan Rice is arguably one of the best defensive midfielders in the world.
The Hammers are ready to sign the contracts once Arsenal’s lawyers have approved and finalised the deal.
The 24-year-old midfielder will complete his move from west to north London after breaking a club-record fee of £105 million. This deal eclipses Arsenal’s previous record purchase of Nicolas Pepe, who moved from Lille for £72m in 2019.
In addition to club transfer records, Rice will become the second-largest signing of any Premier League club this term. Just short of Enzo Fernandez, who moved to Chelsea for £106.8m in January. Rice will also become the second most expensive English player ever, costing £5m more than Jack Grealish, who joined Manchester City for £100m in August 2021.
Biggest transfer fees in Arsenal history:
- Declan Rice – £105m
- Nicolas Pepe – £72m
- Alexandre Lacazette – £52m
- Ben White – £50m
- Thomas Partey – £45m
- Gebriel Jesus – £45m.
Most expensive English players (All-Time):
- Jude Bellingham – £115m
- Declan Rice – £105m
- Jack Grealish – £100m
- Harry McGuire – £80m
- Jadon Sancho – £73m.
If Rice’s arrival isn’t convincing, fans of the Gunners should take a trip down memory lane. At the London Stadium this past April, Arteta’s men were 2-0 up versus West Ham and were en route to being six points clear of Manchester City. But the game’s momentum changed from a creative player in Rice; they now hope to make a difference for their squad.
The English youngster will undoubtedly become a focus of sports bettors and the using of sportsbook promos, and as a record signing for Arsenal, could become a pivotal part of the team that lacked consistency in their Premier League title chase. Arsenal are currently priced at 6/4 to finish in the top four next season. This is a good bet, as they have a strong squad and they have added some quality players in the summer transfer window. There is a lot of potential, and they could be a very good team next season. It will be interesting to see how they perform.
More money, fewer problems
Rice isn’t the only bucket load of cash Arsenal will have spent this summer. Jurrien Timber signed for the Gunners from Ajax and has recently completed his medical. Timber is predominantly a right-back but can switch positions to full-back, and Manchester United previously scouted him.
The Dutchman is regarded by many as one of the top young defenders in football.
Timber’s £38m price isn’t as eye-watering as the Rice deal. Still, in unison with Arsenal’s overall spending this summer, the final figure of Arsenal’s summer spending could come close to £300 million in total.
Balogun at £50 million
With Rice and Timber deals all but done, Arsenal will shift their transfer focus to transfers for players outside of Arteta’s future plans.
The names of Folarin Balogun, Nicolas Pepe, Nuno Tavares, Albert Sambi Lokonga, and Cedric Soares have all been linked as potential departures from Arsenal.
No official offers have been made, but AC Milan, Marseille, and Monaco have displayed interest, and Arsenal evaluate their striker at £50 million.
With 22 goals netted in 39 appearances for French side Reims last season, the youngster eligible to play for England has committed his international future to the USA.
Where is Arsenal getting the money?
When discussing the financial situation at Arsenal, football finance expert Kieran Maguire believes the club’s spending is a “reward” for Mikel Arteta’s hard work.
“Arsenal are in a strong position when it comes to spending. The reason for that is they have managed to get their wages under control,” Maguire commented.
“Arsenal’s wages are lower than they were in 2018. They are £150m to £170m less than Liverpool, Manchester United, and Manchester City. That has allowed them to go into the market and buy new players without worrying too much.
“Plus, they have got the additional benefits of Champions League matches coming in; premium prices are the minimum, I would say prize money of £50m from being participants. So, you factor that all together, and they’ve probably still got a bit of leeway in terms of what they can spend over the present window.”
Summary
Arsenal’s spending spree is a sign of the club’s ambition. They are clearly determined to get back to the top of English football, and they are willing to spend the money to do it.
However, it is important to note that Arsenal’s spending has not come without its critics. Some have argued that the club is spending too much money on players, and that they should be focusing on developing their own young talent.
Only time will tell whether Arsenal’s spending spree will be a success. However, there is no doubt that the club is making a statement of intent, and they will be hoping to challenge for the Premier League title next season.
