Wolves' January transfer activity is living proof Arsenal must improve their ability to sell players
Ryan Taylor
12:09, 06 Feb 2026
Arsenal
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Arsenal must improve their record when it coms to selling players
It's rather striking how Wolves, despite the severity of their situation, have been able to recoup very credible fees for underperforming players this winter when big-name clubs such as Arsenal have struggled to sell.
On the face of it, it looks as though new Old Gold executive chairman Nathan Shi is already laying the foundations for a Championship title push next season at Molineux.
Outside of a small recent revival under Rob Edwards, Wolves have endured a catastrophic campaign and it's a mystery how they've banked top money for a number of stars who have not even been consistent starters this season.
Jorgen Strand Larsen has scored just one Premier League goal in 22 outings this term after being denied a lucrative £55million switch to Newcastle last summer.
Crystal Palace have now made the Norwegian frontman their club-record signing for an initial £43m plus £5m in bonuses while central defender Emmanuel Agbadou, who only arrived from Stade Reims for £16.6m last January, has now left for Besiktas for £17.4m inclusive of add-ons.
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The fact Wolves have somehow been able to overturn profit on the Ivorian, who has been nothing short of calamitous this season, is miraculous because his one-year spell in the Black Country underlines the club's recruitment struggles.
Additionally, 28-year-old winger Jhon Arias looks likely to return to South America with Palmeiras for up to £21.5m (a deal has not been formally agreed just yet) after signing from Fluminense for just £15m last July. There were a further £4m in bonuses tied into the agreement but these were not triggered during his seven-month spell in England.
If Arias' exit is formalised, Wolves have made just shy of £87m alone during the January transfer window via player sales.
Meanwhile, Arsenal sold four-time Premier League champion Oleksandr Zinchenko to Ajax for a mere £1.3m while last summer, Belgian midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga joined Hamburger SV for just £260k (plus performance-related bonuses) having arrived at the club from Anderlecht for around £17.2m.
Both players were swiftly approaching the end of their contracts but you cannot deny that in both instances, that's very poor business.
Jorgen Strand Larsen
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Wolves received £48m from Crystal Palace for Jorgen Strand Larsen, who has scored just one Premier League goal all season
Remarkably, the club's record sale to this day still remains Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's £35million switch to Liverpool in August 2017.
That is expected to be ousted very soon but it's further evidence Arsenal must improve their ability to recoup cash when moving fringe players on.
Andrea Berta is effectively paying the price for some of the substandard recruitment work that was carried out by Edu during Mikel Arteta's first few seasons in the Gunners' hot-seat.
The likes of Fabio Vieira, a £34m arrival from Porto, and goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale have both seen their value decrease substantially following several unproductive loan spells.
Arsenal also pay Champions League wages and in the case of Zinchenko, interested clubs were unable to strike a salary agreement with the Ukrainian which is why the club desperately struggled to flog the 29-year-old.
A move to Marseille appeared close last summer but his salary scuppered talks and the French giants later pulled out of the deal.
Oleksandr Zinchenko has left Arsenal to join Ajax on a permanent transfer
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Oleksandr Zinchenko has left Arsenal to join Ajax on a permanent transfer worth just £1.3m(Image: (Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images))
The positive news for Arteta is his squad now looks stronger than ever and outside of a few loanees, there's no burning need to shift players in the summer.
Changes will still be made of course but anyone that does depart from here on in will be of some value and not a fringe player who has effectively been running down his contract.
In recent seasons, both Liverpool and Chelsea have led the way where player sales are concerned and that has provided them with further freedom to spend amid the tightening of financial regulations.
Since Arsenal sold the likes of Emile Smith Rowe (Fulham), Eddie Nketiah (Crystal Palace), Joe Willock (Newcastle) and Alex Iwobi (Everton), academy sales - which are now more important than ever from an accounting perspective - have dried up, too.
On the whole, it's an area Arsenal must strive to improve moving forward and if anyone can fix the club's player sales record, it's experienced sporting director Berta.
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