Since taking the job of head coach and then manager over six years ago, Mikel Arteta has helped to utterly transform Arsenal.
The Spaniard took a sleeping giant that looked destined to fall further down the Premier League and has not only turned them around but also made them favourites to win the competition, as well as among the favourites for the Champions League.
Now, a large part of this complete change of direction is, of course, down to the manager’s philosophy and tactical approach, but it is also down to the signings made under his tenure, and not just the big-money ones either.
arteta
Arsenal have found more than a few incredible bargains over the years, and now it looks like, in his first summer, Andrea Berta has found the best since Leandro Trossard.
Arsenal's best bargain buys
When talking about bargain buys Arsenal have made during Arteta’s tenure, it is almost impossible to ignore Trossard.
The club signed the Belgian international for around £27m in January 2023, after missing out on Mykhailo Mudryk, and to say he has been worth that initial outlay would be a huge understatement.
Sure, there have been moments in which he has frustrated, but the 31-year-old has a record that players three times his cost would be proud of.
For example, he has scored 35 goals and provided 30 assists in 151 appearances, totalling 8372 minutes, which comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 2.32 games, or every 128.8 minutes.
Moreover, the former Seagulls star is currently the club’s most effective attacker, with seven goals and seven assists to his name in 27 games this season.
Trossard in 25/26
Appearances
Starts
Minutes
Goals
Assists
Goal Involvements per Match
Minutes per Goal Involvement
All Stats via Transfermarkt
Moving from the attack to the defence, when it comes to vital players in Arteta’s squad, one of the first names that has to come up is Gabriel Magalhães.
The Brazilian centre-back is arguably the club’s most important player, as on top of being a crucial part of the league’s best defence, he is also a serious goal threat.
gabriel
For example, in 16 league appearances this year, he has scored three goals and provided two assists, and in the Champions League, he has one goal and one assist in five games.
So, considering he cost around £23m in the summer of 2020, the defensive monster has to be considered one of the club’s biggest bargains.
However, the good news for Arsenal fans is that there is now another player who looks set to be discussed in a similar way to both Gabriel and Trossard soon enough.
Who is Arsenal's best bargain since Trossard
Arsenal have made several impressive signings since Trossard, such as Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi, and Mikel Merino.
But when considering someone who already looks like a bargain, and will only seem more so over time, Cristhian Mosquera stands out.
The Gunners paid only £13m to sign him from Valencia this summer, and that fee already seems absurd.
Arsenal's Cristhian Mosquera and Martin Zubimendi
Sure, the defender is only 21 years old, but he’s got an enormous amount of experience, having made 90 appearances for the La Liga giants before he made his move to England.
That wealth of experience was immediately obvious when, in the game at Anfield earlier in the season, he was called on in just the fifth minute to replace William Saliba, who went off with an ankle injury.
Mosquera-Ekitike-Arsenal-Liverpool
Now, most seasoned veterans would struggle in such a situation, especially as the Reds were in good form at the time, but the young Spaniard seemed utterly unfazed and, were it not for a wonderstrike, would have come away with a point.
Then, in the next game, at home to Nottingham Forest, the "monster" talent, as dubbed by one analyst, showed the fans that he’s both a brute at the back and incredibly cultured on the ball, making eight defensive contributions, but also taking 92 touches and completing 91% of his passes.
As if fans and pundits needed more convincing of his incredible ability, Arteta decided to start him in the Champions League game away to Inter Milan, and once again, he looked exceptional.
Now, it is still very early on in his career, let alone his Arsenal one, so there is always the danger of overhyping someone.
Mosquera-Trossard-Arsenal
However, in this instance, that doesn’t seem applicable as, in the words of respected analyst-turned-scout Ben Mattinson, the youngster is every bit the “10/10 signing” so many fans think he is.
Ultimately, Arsenal have made some excellent bargain buys over the years, and it looks like Mosquera could become their best since Trossard at this rate.
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[He's a dream for Saka: Arsenal in race to sign £60m "future England captain"](https://www.footballfancast.com/perfect-for-saka-arsenal-now-battling-pl-rivals-to-sign-tino-livramento/ "He's a dream for Saka: Arsenal in race to sign £60m "future England captain"")
Arsenal have set their sights high when it comes to landing a new signing for Mikel Arteta.