Arsenal's £492m transfer trend set to continue this summer with big-name exits

Arsenal have the third-highest transfer deficit in the Premier League over the last decade, according to new data.

New figures from CIES Football Observatory claim the Gunners have spent a total of €1029bn on the likes of Nicolas Pepe, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, Mesut Ozil, Ben White and William Saliba.

But the north Londoners have only recouped €446m (£377m) on sales which gives them a total deficit of €583m (£492m), highlighting the club's glaring issue of balancing the books.

Some of Arsenal's most expensive and valuable players have left for nothing including Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Aubameyang is the most recent name to come under this category after joining Barcelona after a public fallout with Mikel Arteta as he was stripped of the captaincy.

There were claims that the Gunners would pocket all of the £25,783,333 they were tied into paying him between now and the end of his contract in July 2023 had he remained at the club.

But that is not the case according to The Athletic.

Arsenal have made a significant saving, but it is not as high as £25m. Mikel Arteta's men are splitting his wages with Barcelona until the summer, at which point the Spanish club will then start paying the full amount of his salary which is actually lower than what he was earning in north London.

In fact, it's been reported Arsenal have actually been forced to pay Aubameyang £7m to cancel his contract.

This worrying trend is set to continue in the summer to make matters worse with Alexandre Lacazette, who cost £46m, set to leave for free.

Nicolas Pepe's future at Arsenal is also up in the air and the Gunners are unlikely to make a profit after shelling out £72m in the summer