Premier League star is one step from becoming the best bargain in Arsenal's transfer history

When it comes to the definition of a bargain in the transfer market for Premier League clubs, I often think that these need to be associated with a transfer fee first of all. Arsenal have had plenty of deals work in their favour that had no fee attached to them because they arrived on a free transfer in the first place – and of course, some that most certainly did not.

Sol Campbell of course being the most famous. But there’s perhaps been more examples of the opposite like Willian, Cedric Soares, Stephan Lichtsteiner and Sead Kolasinac.

For a bargain though, this needs to have had an exchange of a fee to represent the negotiation between clubs over the deal for the player. William Saliba signed for just £27million is certainly seen as one of the best, as could now club captain Martin Odegaard’s £30million move.

These figures are seen as high but in the context of modern football are still relatively low. However, to find the real bargains it would come from the figures which go even lower than the £10million mark and yet have turned out to be awesome additions for the Gunners.

Kolo Toure’s sub £1million deal is certainly up there, £4.5million for Gilberto Silva or Freddie Ljungberg for £3million. But again these deals are now more than twenty years old despite their Invincible status of course.

For me, the best example of an Arsenal bargain is sitting right in the current starting line-up with Mikel Arteta and he is one step away from sealing that crown. Arsenal signed Gabriel Martinelli from Sao Paulo-based club Ituano in 2019.

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