Arsenal have agreed a deal to sell Folarin Balogun to AS Monaco, a transfer which represents a record sale for the north London side.

The forward impressed out on loan at Reims last season and has now returned to French football, with Monaco prepared to spend big to land the USA international.

After Balogun completed his move to Ligue 1, we’ve looked at the most expensive sales in Arsenal’s history.

Ranking the most expensive sales in Arsenal history:

5. Emmanuel Adebayor to Manchester City (£25m)

Leaving Arsenal for Manchester City was a well-trodden path during the late noughties and Emmanuel Adebayor was one of several names to swap north London for the big-spending regime at the Etihad.

The Togo international had shone for Arsenal since replacing Thierry Henry as the club’s chief goal threat, with Adebayor scoring 46 goals in 105 League appearances for the Gunners. Manchester City made their move for the forward and secured Adebayor in a £25m deal, who became the third striker to sign for the Cityzens in the 2009 summer window after Carlos Tevez and Roque Santa Cruz.

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Adebayor began brightly at City and scored four goals in his first four appearances, including a header against former side Arsenal that was followed by an infamous celebration as he ran the length of the pitch to goad the travelling Gooners.

He struggled to build on a strong start and fell out of the favour the following season, spending time on loan at Real Madrid and Tottenham before joining the latter on a permanent basis. The one-time favourite is far from popular on the red side of north London now.

Joe Willock (Newcastle) and Marc Overmars (Barcelona) also departed Arsenal for fees of £25m.

4. Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona (£34m)

Cesc Fabregas’ exit was a difficult departure for Arsenal to stomach, with the midfielder having evolved into the centrepiece of the side in the post-Invincibles era.

Fabregas signed for Arsenal as a teenager and became the club’s youngest-ever first team player, aged 16 years and 177 days. Over the following seasons the Spaniard became one of the Premier League’s finest talents and was twice named as Arsenal Player of the Season and included in the PFA Team of the Year

A sensational 2009/10 campaign enhanced his growing reputation further, with speculation soon surrounding a potential exit. Barcelona came calling to sign their former academy product in 2011 and Fabregas completed a £34m move to the Camp Nou.

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He won six trophies in three seasons in Catalonia, before returning to the Premier League with Chelsea. Fabregas twice won the Premier League with Chelsea and spent five seasons in west London, cementing his status as one of the division’s best creative talents. He ranks second for all-time Premier League assists, with 111 goals created.

Midfield Magicians: Cesc Fabregas, a Catalan creative genius

3. Alex Iwobi to Everton (£35m)

Everton struck a deadline day deal to sign Alex Iwobi from Arsenal in August 2019, having turned to the Nigerian after a failed attempt to sign Wilfried Zaha from Crystal Palace.

Iwobi had struggled to establish himself as a regular at Arsenal, but Everton agreed a deal to sign Iwobi for an initial £28m, plus a further £7m in potential add-ons.

Iwobi struggled during his opening seasons at Everton with his versatility perhaps a detriment to his development, but he found a niche under Frank Lampard’s tenure with a box-to-box role in midfield.

Iwobi’s energy in a number of positions has made him an increasingly popular figure on Merseyside and he was named as Everton’s Players’ Player of the Season for 2022/23 after aiding the side in their successful bid to avoid relegation.

2. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Liverpool (£35m)

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain decided to leave Arsenal in search of a new challenge in 2017, with the midfielder signing for Liverpool in a £35m deal.

Oxlade-Chamberlain made 198 appearances and won three FA Cups during his eight seasons at Arsenal, but his desire for a more central role persuaded the England international to head to Anfield.

He began brilliantly during an impressive first season under Jurgen Klopp and shone during Liverpool’s run to the Champions League final, but a serious knee injury curtailed his campaign and began a wretched run of fitness issues.

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Oxlade-Chamberlain spent six seasons at Liverpool and won a wealth of honours including the Champions League and Premier League, but his role reduced during the latter period of his time with the Reds. The 30-year-old signed for Turkish side Beşiktaş on a free transfer in 2023.

1. Folarin Balogun to AS Monaco (£38m)

Folarin Balogun has become the most expensive sale in Arsenal history after completing a move to Monaco for a fee in the region of £38m.

After a difficult loan spell in the Championship at Middlesbrough, Balogun reignited his career on loan at Reims last season to emerge as one of Ligue 1’s leading forwards.

He scored 21 league goals in France to attract interest from a host of top European clubs, with Inter Milan and Chelsea among those to have considered Balogun this summer.

Done deal

Folarin Balogun has completed a permanent move away from the Emirates.#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/zxrEhYvOk7

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 30, 2023

The 22-year-old – who changed his international allegiance from England to the USA earlier this year – made just two Premier League appearances for Arsenal, but has now raked in a record fee for the Gunners.

Read – Midfield Generals: Patrick Vieira – A Gunners great

Read Also – Five of the best: Thierry Henry goals

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The post Ranking the most expensive sales in Arsenal history first appeared on The Football Faithful.