Mikel Arteta has had a transformative reign at Arsenal since replacing Unai Emery as the manager in December 2019, so here are his top five Gunners signings of all time.
The north London club turned to Arteta after Emery oversaw their worst run of results since 1992. Arsenal failed to win any of the final seven games of the Spaniard’s tenure at Emirates Stadium. But Arteta lifted the FA Cup during his first season as his compatriot’s replacement.
Arsenal have since given Arteta the time he needed to remould the side Arsene Wenger and Emery built. Only Bukayo Saka, Kieran Tierney, Gabriel Martinelli and Reiss Nelson remain at the club from Emery’s last 18-man squad for a Europa League clash back in November 2019.
In return for Arsenal trusting the process, Arteta launched the team into the Premier League title race in 2022/23. They even spent 248 days atop the table to secure the Gunners’ return to the Champions League. Wenger last had the team in UEFA’s elite competition in 2016/17.
Arteta completely overhauling the squad left behind from Wenger and Emery’s tenures has ensured not all of his signings at Arsenal have been a success. But the Spaniard has made a host of successful transfers, as well. So, here are Arteta’s all-time top five Arsenal signings…
5) Ben White (Brighton & Hove Albion – Arsenal, July 2021)
Arteta deemed Ben White as one of his top summer targets in 2021 before Arsenal secured his signing in a £50m transfer from Brighton & Hove Albion. The Spaniard saw the defender as a prime target through his passing abilities to speed up the Gunners’ game in possession.
White had only played one season in the Premier League before moving to north London in what was Arsenal’s third-most expensive transfer at the time. Yet he instantly slotted in with Gabriel Magalhaes to hand the Gunners a stern defence and met Arteta’s visions on the ball.
The return of William Saliba from his loan spell at Marseille in 2022 ultimately meant White transitioned over to right-back. But he made the move with absolute ease to make the spot his own. White delivers tremendous consistency in the position and is a threat at both ends.
White beautifully couples with Saka on Arsenal’s right-hand channel to further justify Arteta signing him from Brighton. The pair have developed an almost telepathic connection to link the Gunners’ attacks. While White is still alert to get back and lock down the full-back zone.
4) Aaron Ramsdale (Sheffield United – Arsenal, August 2021)
Despite having a solid shot-stopper in Bernd Leno, Arteta swooped to sign Aaron Ramsdale from Sheffield United in August 2021. Arsenal eventually secured his £24m, rising £6m after add-ons, transfer after prolonged negotiations that ran during much of the summer market.
Arteta signing Ramsdale underwhelmed many as he endured relegation with the Blades and AFC Bournemouth in the previous two Premier League seasons. Yet the goalkeeper came in for Leno after the September 2021 international break and proved his doubters were wrong.
Ramsdale became a pillar of Arsenal’s return to the top of the Premier League table with his efforts. He has often produced some implausible saves, including tremendous stops to deny James Maddison of Leicester in October 2021 and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah in April 2023.
Such was the brilliance that Ramsdale offered in the 2022/23 season, with 14 clean sheets in 38 Premier League games, that the PFA named the Chesterton-born stopper in its Team of the Season. He should also still be Arsenal’s No1 but is now only the back-up for David Raya.
Arteta signed Raya on loan from Brentford in August 2023 and made the Spaniard his No1 at the next September international break. But the Barcelona native has struggled to justify his position ahead of Ramsdale after nervous displays on the ball and whilst dealing with shots.
Raya was never comfortable with the ball when Arsenal beat Manchester City 1-0 in October 2023 but the Citizens failed to punish his mistakes. Luton Town would not make that error in December 2023, though, when his mistakes gifted goals to Elijah Adebayo and Ross Barkley.
3) Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City – Arsenal, July 2022)
Arsenal let Arteta remould the attack in 2022, as they paid Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang £7m to end his contract before letting Alexandre Lacazette depart as a free agent. Gabriel Jesus would arrive at Emirates Stadium in a £45m transfer from Manchester City to fill their voids.
Jesus helped to transform Arsenal’s attack by reuniting with Arteta, having worked with him at Etihad Stadium. The Brazilian’s dogged style instantly suited the Spaniard’s team next to Saka and Martinelli. Jesus often sacrifices his own chances to score if he can create space.
Arteta never had a striker like Jesus when Aubameyang or Lacazette led Arsenal’s side. But the Gunners have enjoyed a free-flowing attack when the forward, Saka and Martinelli are in sync. If Jesus could score more and remain injury-free, he would be Arsenal’s perfect striker.
2) Declan Rice (West Ham United – Arsenal, July 2023)
Arsenal beat out interest from Manchester City and Bayern Munich to sign Declan Rice in a £105m transfer in 2023. Arteta had made signing the West Ham United product his priority during the January sales. He would quit the Irons after lifting the Europa Conference League.
Rice enjoyed 10 years with West Ham after joining them in his youth and even spent his last season there as their captain. That leadership, which he had honed as the vice-captain since 2020, would see Rice instantly emerge as a leader after Arteta sealed his signing for Arsenal.
He made a seamless transition from east to north London to become a pillar of Arteta’s side. Rice has even stunned pundits like Clinton Morrison with everything that he has offered the Gunners. The midfielder is the complete package by winning the ball and distributing play.
“Unbelievable,” Morrison stated on Sky Sports News (23/12, 12:19). “He won everything in midfield, he drove with it, he’s so cultured on the ball.
“He’s got a turn of pace where he can beat people. His levels have gone to another level and he’s took Arsenal, in my opinion, to another level, as well. I think he’s outstanding, he’s one of the best there is at the moment.”
1) Martin Odegaard (Real Madrid – Arsenal, August 2021)
Arsenal sealed the best signing of Arteta’s Emirates Stadium tenure so far in August 2021 as Martin Odegaard secured a permanent transfer from Real Madrid. The Norway captain had already been in north London since the previous January sales after initially arriving on loan.
Odegaard had intended to return to Los Blancos in the summer but was not a part of Carlo Ancelotti’s side. So, the Galacticos accepted a £30m, plus £4m in add-ons, bid by Arsenal. He has since gone from strength to strength and became the Gunners’ captain in July 2022.
Arteta gave the playmaker their armband after only 18 months at the club, having emerged as a leader by example. Odegaard is the consummate professional and the perfect example of how Arteta wants Arsenal to play. He is not a general yelling orders but a standard setter.
Odegaard also rose to the challenge of being Arsenal’s captain to reach new heights over the 2022/23 Premier League season. The Drammen native only penned one goal and two assists whilst on loan then seven and four in 2021/22. Yet he hit 15 goals and eight assists in 22/23.
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