Edu Gaspar, Arsenal’s former sporting director, led the club through a big change in the transfer department.
He made some big moves, bringing in new players and letting others go.
From the 2019/20 season to 2024/25, the club focused on young talent, proven experience, and squad depth.
They also aimed to maintain financial prudence while spending more on transfers.
This recruitment analysis of Edu’s approach to transfers reveals a few key patterns and principles.
Building For The Present & Future
Edu’s first season in 2019/20 saw Arsenal make some big investments in marquee signings like Nicolas Pépé (€80M) and William Saliba (€30M).
It was a clear sign that the club aimed to strengthen their attacking options and defensive capabilities.
Kieran Tierney (€27M) from Celtic was a great addition, as he really helped to solve the left-back position.
Meanwhile, Edu balanced these investments with more economical additions, like David Luiz (€8.7M) and Gabriel Martinelli (€7.1M), which showed he had an eye for spotting undervalued prospects.
In 2020/21, Arsenal showed they meant business by spending €50M on Thomas Partey, a dynamic box-to-box midfielder.
Along with Gabriel Magalhães (€26M) in central defence, this window was all about adding physicality.
Edu also started to show a more practical side, using free transfers (like Willian) and short-term loans to cover gaps.
In 2021/22, Edu started to prepare Arsenal for the future by signing younger players with potential.
The arrival of Ben White (€58.5M) and Aaron Ramsdale (€28M) initially raised a few eyebrows, but they ended up being key in Arsenal’s defensive rebuild.
Similarly, Martin Ødegaard (€35M), who initially joined on loan, became a permanent signing and eventually Arsenal’s captain.
This shows that Edu has a good eye for leadership and quality in young players.
The signings of Gabriel Jesus (€52.2M) and Oleksandr Zinchenko (€35M) from Manchester City in 2022/23 showed that Edu was focused on bringing in players with title-winning experience.
These players, along with talents like Fábio Vieira (€35M) and Leandro Trossard (€24M), gave Arsenal the depth to challenge at the highest level.
Edu really went for it in the market in the 2023/24 season, signing Declan Rice (€116.6M), the most expensive signing in Arsenal’s history.
It showed he was ready to dominate the midfield.
In addition, Kai Havertz (€75M) and Jurrien Timber (€40M) showed that the club sought to bring in players who could cover several positions and help strengthen the defence.
The club spent €235.1M this season.
In the summer transfer window of the 2024/2025 season, Edu continued with its strategic approach by targeting specific weaknesses.
Signings like Riccardo Calafiori (€45M) and Mikel Merino (€32M) filled gaps in the full-back and midfield roles.
Edu also used loans to bring in experienced players like Raheem Sterling and goalkeeper Neto, which helped balance the budget while adding some much-needed experience to the squad.
Edu’s approach to departures shows a change in Arsenal’s squad management.
While the club had previously struggled to get a good price for players, things improved greatly during his time there.
In the early days, high-profile players like Aaron Ramsey (who left for Juventus free of charge) and Henrikh Mkhitaryan left for minimal fees because their contracts ended.
Edu had to find a way to balance the financial losses with the need to move on from players who were getting older or just not performing well.
Some younger players who hadn’t made it, like Joe Willock (€29.4M) and Folarin Balogun (€30M), were sold for a good profit.
This meant Arsenal could reinvest in established stars.
Veterans like Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Héctor Bellerín left on free transfers or loans.
This freed up wages and meant Arsenal could bring in younger players.
Edu helped Arsenal improve its negotiation tactics.
Some key sales, like Emile Smith Rowe (€31.8M) and Eddie Nketiah (€29.7M) in 2024/2025 and Granit Xhaka (€15M) in 2023/2024, showed that the club was willing to sell players who weren’t central to the project to get the best value for them.
Investing in young players with high resale value is a common strategy.
We’ve seen this in signings like Saliba, Martinelli, Ødegaard, and Rice.
Bringing in players with title-winning experience (think Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Kai Havertz) shows that Edu wants to ensure the whole squad is on board with the idea of winning.
Edu has been great at using loans to help players develop and eliminate unnecessary players, which has helped the club’s finances.
Arsenal’s move from a squad that relied on expensive veterans to one built around young, versatile talent shows a coherent and consistent long-term vision.
Even though Edu has made some big investments, he’s balanced the books through player sales, keeping Arsenal’s finances in good shape.
Arsenal Target Markets
Edu focused on proven Premier League talent when he was recruiting for Arsenal.
Transfers from Chelsea (Kai Havertz, Jorginho, David Luiz) and Manchester City (Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko) were notable for bringing in experienced players who already knew what it took to play in the league.
This shows that Edu wanted to get players who could contribute immediately.
He broughtfive players from Chelsea (€95M total spend) and two from Manchester City (€87.2M total spend).
Brighton & Hove Albion was also on the radar, with Arsenal getting players like Ben White and Leandro Trossard (€82.5M combined), showing that Edu was happy to invest in up-and-coming domestic talent.
Edu always looked to Europe’s top leagues for top-quality players.
Transfers from Real Madrid (e.g., Martin Ødegaard) and LOSC Lille (e.g., Nicolas Pépé, Gabriel Magalhães) show that Arsenal is willing to pay top dollar for standout performers.
He spent €106M on two players from LOSC Lille, including the club-record signing of Pépé (€80M).
With Real Madrid, Edu combined loan-to-buy strategies and direct signings (€37M in total).
South America was still a big part of Arsenal’s recruitment, especially for young talent like Gabriel Martinelli (from Ituano) and established players like Pablo Marí (Flamengo).
This may come from Edu’s Brazilian background, demonstrating his ability to spot value in markets where his knowledge and connections give him an advantage.
Edu has also invested in Arsenal’s academy pipeline, promoting talents like Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, and Eddie Nketiah.
While these players originated from within, they’ve been integrated into the first team, reflecting a balanced internal development strategy alongside external recruitment.
Arsenal also made smart moves when selling players to other Premier League teams.
They made some good money from players like Emile Smith Rowe (Fulham), Joe Willock (Newcastle United), and Eddie Nketiah (Crystal Palace).
Overall, Fulham paid €35.4M for four players, Crystal Palace paid €30.9M for three players, and Newcastle United paid €29.4M for Joe Willock alone.
This shows that Arsenal can make money from players they’ve trained without helping their rivals win the league and compete directly.
One thing that has stood out during Edu’s time in charge is the number of players who have been sent out on loan.
This helps to maintain their value and attract permanent buyers from across Europe.
Clubs like Olympique Marseille, Nottingham Forest and AS Roma often benefited from loan deals.
This approach meant Arsenal could make the most of players like Mattéo Guendouzi and Nuno Tavares, who might not have been the first choice.
There were five deals in total with Olympique Marseille, three of which were loans and a permanent transfer valued at €11M.
AS Roma saw three deals, including small loan fees and player exits.
Sometimes, Edu was responsible for letting high-profile players leave on a free transfer or for a minimal fee.
This helped to reduce wages and rebuild the team.
For example, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang went to Barcelona, and Mesut Özil went to Fenerbahçe.
While they weren’t the most profitable, these moves aligned with Arsenal’s goal of restructuring its wage structure.
Edu’s transfer operations show that they’re focused on a few key areas.
The incoming and outgoing deals feature many Premier League clubs, which shows that they’re ready and know how to get the best value.
Arsenal made some big investments in talent from Europe’s top five leagues and made the most of Edu’s South American connections to bring in some younger prospects.
A strong loan policy helped players develop and sell themselves, showing that Edu was focused on building long-term value.
Arsenal Long-Term Value Creation
Arsenal spent €556.46m on transfers between the 2019/2020 and 2024/2025 seasons, making it one of the Premier League’s top spenders.
This significant investment shows that Edu has been committed to building a squad that can compete for domestic and European titles.
Arsenal consistently posted negative transfer balances, with the biggest deficits being €165.9m (2020/21) and €162.6m (2021/22).
This shows that they were focused on rebuilding.
These seasons saw some big names like Ben White, Thomas Partey, and Martin Ødegaard join the club, which helped to fix some long-standing weaknesses in the squad.
Spending was down a bit in the 2023/24 season (€66.85m deficit), showing that the team was more stable after the initial rebuilding.
Arsenal’s spending is pretty high, but it’s still below that of clubs like Chelsea (€942m net spend) and Manchester United (€650m net spend).
This suggests they’ve chosen a more measured approach.
However, the club spent more than Tottenham Hotspur (€544.58m) and Newcastle United (€435.26m).
Arsenal’s total squad market value increased 81.6%, from €643m in 2019 to €1.17 billion in 2024.
This was the second-largest percentage growth among Premier League clubs.
This shows that Edu has effectively used the club’s resources, not just to improve the quality of the team but also to increase the squad’s intrinsic value.
Arsenal has had trouble making up for its big spending on players through sales, with its transfer revenue being pretty low compared to other top Premier League clubs.
The club’s sales strategy has mainly focused on getting rid of players who don’t play much and making money from academy graduates.
Still, there have been some limits to this: Top players like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (who left for Barcelona free of charge) and Mesut Özil (who left for Fenerbahçe free of charge) didn’t bring in much money, which shows how hard it is to get rid of players on big contracts.
These cases show how past recruitment mistakes have cost the club money and why Edu’s restructuring efforts were so important.
Arsenal made a lot of money from players who came up through the academy and from squad players.
Even so, the club’s total sales revenue is still lower than that of rivals like Liverpool, who are great at getting top dollar for players leaving.
Edu has used loans extensively, especially with clubs like Olympique Marseille, AS Roma, and Nottingham Forest, to keep the players’ value up and create future sale opportunities.
However, this strategy hasn’t brought in as much money as hoped, as shown in the modest figures for players like Guendouzi (€11m) and Nuno Tavares (€14m).
Edu’s transfer strategy aligns with Arsenal’s overall plan for the future, which involves building a sustainable team.
They’re focusing on younger talent, making the squad more valuable, and controlling wages.
Arsenal’s squad market value has gone up by €422.3m under Edu’s leadership, which shows that the club is focused on acquiring players with high potential and increased value.
Some examples include Martin Ødegaard (signed for €35m, now worth at least €90m).
Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli saw their market values skyrocket after integrating into the first team.
Edu made a big push to get rid of older players earning a lot of money, like Özil and Aubameyang.
This made room for a more straightforward wage structure.
This move reduced the financial pressure and created room for performance-based contracts for key young stars.
Arsenal may not be spending as much as Chelsea and Manchester City, but it’s making the most of its money.
The club’s squad value compared to how much they’ve spent on transfers (€1.17 billion vs €740.2m) shows that Edu has been able to balance spending with getting better results on the pitch and making their assets more valuable
Success on the Pitch
When Edu took over in 2019, Arsenal was going through a transitional phase.
It had had some inconsistent seasons and a decline in competitiveness.
In the early days, he focused on bringing in younger players with great potential while also maintaining a balance of experienced talent.
In 2019/2020, Arsenal came eighth in the Premier League, which was a bit of a disappointment for a club of its size.
On a positive note, the season ended on a high with an FA Cup victory, which showed the club’s ability to perform well in important matches.
The arrival of Kieran Tierney, Gabriel Martinelli and Nicolas Pépé, though not all three had the desired effect, showed that Edu was intent on injecting fresh energy and talent into the team.
In 2020/2021, Arsenal did pretty well, coming in 8th again, but there were some signs of progress.
The team won the Community Shield and qualified for the Europa League.
Signings like Thomas Partey and Gabriel Magalhães helped to stabilise Arsenal’s midfield and rebuild the defence.
In 2021/22, Arsenal came in 5th, just missing out on a spot in the Champions League.
Signings like Ben White and Martin Ødegaard really made their mark on Mikel Arteta‘s evolving tactical system.
This was a turning point for Arsenal’s competitiveness, as Edu focused on assembling a team that reflected Arteta’s vision.
Edu’s investments started to pay off in the 2022/23 season, with Arsenal becoming serious title contenders and making a comeback in the upper echelons of English football.
Arsenal came second in the Premier League with an impressive 84 points.
The team’s attacking play was a real highlight, with 88 goals scored and 43 conceded; Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, and Martinelli led the way.
Arsenal came close to winning the title, but their consistent performance against Manchester City showed they’re back on top as a top club.
During this period, the team welcomed Oleksandr Zinchenko and Fabio Vieira, who brought great tactical flexibility and depth to the squad.
In the 2023/2024 season, Arsenal did it again, finishing second with an even higher points tally (89 points) and a remarkable goal difference of +62 (91 goals scored, 29 conceded).
The squad’s balance of defensive solidity and attacking prowess showed Edu’s recruitment success.
Arsenal also won the Community Shield, which showed they could win other trophies.
In addition, Arsenal won the FA Cup (2019/20) and the Community Shield (2020/21, 2023/24) under Edu’s leadership, ending the trophy drought and paving the way for future success.
Arsenal have made a comeback as a title contender with two second-place finishes in the Premier League (2022/23 and 2023/24).
Arsenal are back on the European stage, returning to the UEFA Champions League in 2023/24 and 2024/25.
While we’re still aiming for deeper runs in European competitions, Edu has already made Arsenal a lot more competitive on the continent.
Conclusion
The signings of players like Ødegaard, Saka (who came through the academy), and Gabriel Martinelli show that Edu is all about long-term development.
These players are now among the best in their respective positions, and they’re making a big impact on Arsenal’s attacking play.
Signings like Gabriel Magalhães, Ben White, William Saliba and Oleksandr Zinchenko have transformed Arsenal’s backline into one of the most reliable in the league.
This solid defence has been key to Arsenal’s title challenges in recent seasons.
Edu has focused on recruiting players who can play different roles, allowing Arteta to use a flexible tactical system.
For instance, Zinchenko can play as a left-back and an inverted midfielder.
Kai Havertz, who joined in 2023, is a versatile player who can operate in midfield and attack.
By bringing in players like Leandro Trossard and Aaron Ramsdale, Edu ensured the squad could maintain performance levels across different competitions.
This depth has been significant for Arsenal in the Champions League and the league.
Edu’s recruitment strategy has played a big part in Arsenal’s sporting success.
He has focused on youth development, squad depth and players who fit Arteta’s tactics.
Luis Kircher is a football analyst living in Germany. He is currently getting his MBA in Sports Management. You can find him on X at @LuisKircher.