Arsenal, a team once known for penny-pinching and refusing to spend too extravagantly under the management of Arsène Wenger, have since become far more liberal in their spending in recent years.
However, while the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea have seen their enormous spending sprees amount to nothing, the Gunners have been transformed from a team fighting to finish eighth to one in their third Premier League title race in as many years.
Moreover, the North Londoners are still not quite as happy to splash the cash as some of their nearest competitors, as this summer they spent under £100m, which was a dramatic reduction in their spending compared to last summer.
In 2023, Arsenal went all out to secure the services of several top-class players, including Jurrien Timber, but before they settled on the Ajax star, they were reportedly keen on another defender who would go on to join Tottenham Hotspur.
Arsenal’s 2023 summer transfer window
Last summer, Arsenal spent over £200m on transfers for the first time in their history, £105m of which went towards the capture of West Ham United captain Declan Rice.
The Englishman is far and away the Gunners’ record transfer, but that pressure hasn’t impacted him, as in the year and a bit since his arrival, the 25-year-old has shown just why he was worth every penny, making 63 appearances across all competitions, scoring eight goals, providing 12 assists and making it into the PFA Team of the Year.
The second most expensive addition last summer, Kai Havertz, cost about £65m, and while he struggled early on, he has also become an integral part of Arteta’s team.
For example, while he’s scored just six goals and provided no assists in 33 midfield appearances, the German has been incredibly effective up top, scoring 13 goals and providing eight assists in 29 games, equating to a goal involvement every 1.38 games.
Lastly, Timber joined Arteta’s North London title chasers from Ajax for around £38m following a brilliant campaign with the Amsterdam club in which he made 47 appearances, scored two goals and provided two assists.
