Mikel Arteta has vowed to take Arsenal to the very top of English soccer, to make them Premier League champions for the first time in over two decades. The Gunners need to be ruthless and relentless to reach their goal, which means letting go of players who are not integral to the system, no matter how good they are.
On August 2, the North London club offloaded Emile Smith Rowe to Premier League side Fulham. The academy graduate had shown plenty of quality during his time with Arsenal, but he could not give attacking midfielder and captain of the team, Martin Odegaard, a run for his money. So, Arteta green-lit his sale, knowing Arsenal would be able to add 100% of his transfer fees to its coffers due to Smith Rowe’s homegrown status.
This is not the first time Arsenal has sold a high-potential player. The club has done it multiple times over the years, either to fund new signings or at the request of its players. Today, we will check out how much money Arsenal has made from these high-profile sales and where Smith Rowe ranks among the top five departures of all time. Let’s begin!
Valuation: CBS Sports Golazo
#5 Emile Smith Rowe: $34.6 million
The fifth biggest sale in Arsenal history, Emile Smith Rowe has joined Fulham for a $34.6 million fee. The 24-year-old has signed a five-year contract with the Cottagers.
As per Transfermarkt, Smith Rowe enrolled in Arsenal’s youth academy as a 10-year-old in 2010. He progressed through the youth teams and developed further through two loan spells — RB Leipzig and Huddersfield — before officially becoming a member of the Arsenal first team in August 2020. For the senior team, Smith Rowe played in 115 games in all competitions, scoring 18 times and providing 13 assists. The tally would have been much higher had his progression not been hampered due to injuries.
#4 Cesc Fabregas: $37 million
In fourth place, we have one of the best midfielders in Premier League history, Cesc Fabregas. The Spaniard, who came on his own during his eight-season stay at Arsenal, left the club for his boyhood team Barcelona in August 2011. The Gunners got a respectable $37 million fee out of his transfer.
Fabregas joined Arsenal U18 from Barca U16 in September 2003. A month later, on October 28, 2003, he made his debut for the senior team, becoming Arsenal’s youngest-ever first-team player. He was only 16 years and 177 days old when he lined up to make his League Cup debut against Rotherham United. Arsenal officially inducted him into the senior team in July 2004.
Before his departure to Barcelona, Fabregas played 303 games for the North London powerhouse, scoring 57 times, claiming 95 assists, and winning an FA Cup and an FA Community Shield.
At Barcelona, Fabregas scored 42 goals and provided 50 assists in 151 games, winning the La Liga title and a Copa del Rey, among other accolades.
#3 Alexis Sanchez: $37 million
Shocking the world, Alexis Sanchez joined Arsenal’s bitter rivals Manchester United in a huge $37 million move in January 2018. This transfer came on the back of his glorious three-and-a-half-year spell at Arsenal. The Chilean, who is currently without a club, played 166 games for the Gunners, bagging 80 goals and 43 assists. He won two FA Cups and three FA Community Shields at the Emirates Stadium.
Manchester United expected Sanchez to hit similar heights at Old Trafford. However, that did not turn out to be the case. He struggled to keep himself fit, which impacted his confidence and consequently his performance. He spent only one-and-a-half seasons at Man Utd, scoring five goals and claiming nine assists in 45 games across competitions.
#2 Nicolas Anelka: $38.1 million
A renowned club-hopper, Nicolas Anelka, earned Arsenal $38.1 million in transfer fees when he joined Real Madrid in July 1999. He had joined the Gunners for a mere $826k from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in February 1997.
Anelka had a fine spell at Arsenal, hitting the apex of his powers in the 1998-99 season. He scored 19 goals and provided six assists in 46 matches that term, emerging as one of the best players in England. Real Madrid bought him for a then-record fee (for Arsenal) in the summer of 1999, but the move turned out to be a disaster for both parties. So, after only one season in the Spanish capital, during which he scored seven times in 33 games, Anelka left Madrid for PSG.
#1 Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain: $41.4 million
At the summit sits Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain, whom Arsenal sold to Liverpool for a $41.4 million fee in August 2017. Chamberlain had spent six years in North London before the switch. The versatile forward-turned-midfielder played 198 matches for the Gunners, scoring 20 times and providing 28 assists. His heroics helped Arsenal to three FA Cups and three FA Community Shields.
Chamberlain enjoyed an even better spell at Liverpool. During his six-year stay at Anfield Stadium, the 30-year-old scored 18 goals in 146 games, winning the Premier League title, the UEFA Champions League trophy, and an FA Cup, among other honors.
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