By the numbers: Are Arsenal bad at selling?
We turn to the data to settle a long-time narrative among fans
There’s a saying out there commonly attributed to Benjamin Franklin that roughly says you can only count on two things in life: Death and Taxes. Among Premier League fans, I’d add a third, which is Thinking Arsenal are Bad at Selling.
Usually, these narrative-based pieces are inspired by a single post or conversation I’ve seen somewhere on the desolate hellscape we refer to as “social media.” This time, I’ve gone in reverse order, instead searching on the Musk site after starting up my draft. Look at all this material!
Of course, I could go on, but you’ve only got the one set of eyes. Let’s preserve those puppies.
Longtime friends of the blog know this is a soapbox I’ve stood on before. I’ve done it here:
Will Edu ever be good at selling?
Somewhere around the end of any transfer window, you’re bound to see a post about it: Arsenal have not gotten big transfer fees in recent years. They didn’t for Torreira, Guendouzi or Leno, they passed up chances to sell Lacazette and Bellerin, and the song goes on.
Alas, the idea that these things are complicated are simply not as sexy as is the concept of Edu being an inept doofus, which has spread like wildfire. But as is my wont, I’ve kept batting at this idea like a kitten with a piece of string.
Arsenal’s links to and eventual purchase of Kepa Arrizabalaga is what ultimately inspired a direction that I thought might prove a little more definitive. This was, after all, a player purchased by a direct rival of Arsenal’s for £70m, given a large wage, and eventually sold for just £5m. If ever there was a signing that should inspire a “joke of a club” post, AMIRITE?!?
With that in mind, I’m presenting a fresh analysis of outgoings among the “big six” clubs beginning with the 2020-2021 campaign. Please note: That means players who left the clubs starting with that season, not signings. After all, this is a study of how these clubs are selling, not buying.
Why that season? Honestly, no reason in particular. But for one, it took a long time to gather all the information. Five years was a nice, round number. And it synced up with Arteta’s first full campaign, a nice bit of serendipity there.
Why the big six? Because they’re the most financially comparable to Arsenal, and because 20+ clubs would also take forever. Why would you ask me to do such a thing? How presumptuous of you. Shame.
Some facts, figures and charts follow and conclusions at the bottom:
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