Ranking the Arsenal Players Whose Transfer Values Have Moved Most in 2017
It’s been a mightily turbulent season at Arsenal. The Gunners have experienced considerable highs and crushing lows, and now their campaign seems to be spiralling into a grim denouement.
Across the course of 2016/17, the fortunes of individuals have fluctuated significantly. There have been patches of outstanding form, as well as some real ruts. Inevitably, these variations in performance level will have influenced the market value of the Arsenal squad.
This week, Bleacher Report is identifying the Arsenal players we feel have increased or decreased most in terms of transfer value.
Valuations are, of course, mere estimates. It’s a volatile market at the moment and ultimately a player is worth what a buying club is prepared to pay, so these can only ever be considered approximate figures.
We’ve attempted to use figures from last summer where possible to provide context for the shift in value—as well as considering factors such as the length of the player's contract.
Biggest Rise: 5th, Hector Bellerin (+ £7 Million)
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Estimated Current Value: £50 million
Estimated Difference: £7 million
Spanish full-back Hector Bellerin’s form may have dipped at late, but for the most part this has been another season of progress. With Mathieu Debuchy and Carl Jenkinson failing to offer any real competition, he is even more firmly established as Arsenal’s first-choice right-back.
Back in 2016, Manchester City were linked with a £43 million bid for the player by Mundo Deportivo (h/t The Sun). With Bellerin having signed a new long-term deal since then, City would probably have to surpass the £47.5 million they spent on John Stones to land Bellerin. The former Barcelona boy could now well be worth a cool £50 million.
Biggest Rise: 4th, Alex Iwobi (+ £10 Million)
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Estimated Current Value: £10 million
Estimated Difference: £10 million
At the end of last season, Alex Iwobi had just begun making inroads into the Arsenal team. This season he has continued to be a major part of Arsene Wenger’s plans. Although his form has fluctuated, he has demonstrated that he has enormous potential.
As an academy product, it’s particularly difficult to determine his transfer value—there is no precedent for him being transferred. However, it’s difficult to imagine him being sold for less than £20 million, which must be around double what he was worth 12 months ago.
Biggest Rise: 3rd, David Ospina (+ £12 Million)
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Estimated Current Value: £15 million
Estimated Difference: £12 million
Despite spending most of the season on the bench, David Ospina has certainly enhanced his reputation during 2016/17. Having participated in all of Arsenal’s Champions League games, he was one of the few players to emerge from the Gunners’ European campaign with any credit.
Biggest Rise: 2nd, Rob Holding (+ £18 Million)
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Estimated Current Value: £20 million
Estimated Difference: £18 million
When Arsenal signed Rob Holding last summer, the BBC reported that the fee was a mere £2 million. That must now be regarded as one of the bargains of the season, as Holding has gone from strength to strength since arriving in north London.
The composed centre-half has impressed in a variety of competitions, including the Champions League. He combines aerial prowess with remarkable composure, and surprisingly good distribution.
Looking at the fees young English players typically command, a club would expect to have to pay £20 million to land such a hot prospect.
Biggest Rise: 1st, Theo Walcott (+ £20 Million)
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Estimated Current Value: £40 million
Estimated Difference: £20 million
Last summer, Theo Walcott was linked by Duncan Wright of The Sun with a £20 million move to West Ham. At that stage, plenty of Arsenal fans would have been happy to see him go.
However, his status with the club has transformed since then. Walcott has enjoyed a productive 2016/17, scoring 17 goals for Arsenal—including his 100th for the club.
With two years remaining on his deal, his market value would now be at an all-time high. If a club wanted to prise Walcott away from Arsenal, they could well have to spend double the £20 million he was supposedly worth last summer—especially with the added premium on English talent.
Biggest Fall: 5th, Shkodran Mustafi, (-£8 Million)
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Estimated Current Value: £27 million
Estimated Difference: £8 million
According to Sky Sports, Arsenal paid £35 million last summer to lure Shkodran Mustafi from Valencia. While that initially appeared to be a smart piece of business, his decline in form over the course of the campaign has made that feel look a little excessive.
As a Germany international, Mustafi’s residual value remains high. However, he would probably not fetch more than £27 million if Arsenal decided to dispose of him this summer.
Biggest Fall: 4th, Aaron Ramsey (-£10 Million)
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Estimated Current Value: £40 million
Estimated Difference: £10 million
In January 2016, Oli Price-Bates of the Metro estimated that Aaron Ramsey’s transfer value could well be £50 million. An outstanding Euro 2016 would only have confirmed that valuation.
However, it’s now difficult to envisage a club parting with such a huge sum of money to lure Ramsey. Injury has seen him endure a stop-start season, and confusion reigns over his best role in the midfield. He hasn’t settled into a permanent position in the Arsenal XI, and without a single league goal to his name this season it’s difficult to imagine him fetching more than £40 million.
Biggest Fall: 3rd, Alexis Sanchez (-£15 Million)
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Estimated Current Value: £35 million
Estimated Difference: £15 million
Last summer, Alexis Sanchez was linked with a return to Serie A via Juventus. According to Stuart Mitchell of Football Transfer News, the Italian giants were at one stage willing to bid £50 million for his services.
While Alexis’ performances in 2016/17 have not done anything to hurt his market value, the fact is that his contract is now just 12 months from expiry. That puts Arsenal in a difficult position. As things stand, they’re faced with a choice: sell at a reduced price, or risk losing him for nothing. Right now, the Gunners would do well to recoup the £35 million they paid for Alexis in 2014.
Biggest Fall: 2nd, Jack Wilshere (-£18 Million)
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Estimated Current Value: £22 million
Estimated Difference: £18 million
In May 2016, Simon Mullock of the Mirror said that Manchester City were considering a £40 million bid for Jack Wilshere. Since then, Wilshere has joined Bournemouth on loan, and while he has proved his ability to remain fit he has not necessarily looked like a Champions League-calibre midfielder.
Furthermore, there’s his contract situation to consider—Wilshere has just over a year remaining on his current deal, and with little sign of an extension is likely to be available at a knockdown fee.
Signing a player with such a chequered injury record is always a gamble, and as such Arsenal might have to accept a price as low as £22 million.
Biggest Fall: 1st, Mesut Ozil (-£20 Million)
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Estimated Current Value: £40 million
Estimated Difference: £20 million
Back in the spring of 2016, Spanish outlet Marca (h/t Eurosport) reported that Barcelona were “preparing a summer assault” to sign Mesut Ozil with a proposed bid of £60 million. However, with Ozil’s contract now approaching a close, he’d probably move for significantly less.
Ozil’s performances in the second half of the season have hardly set the Premier League alight, and the reality is that if the Gunners were forced to sell they would probably only recoup around £40 million.
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