Where are Unai Emery's first eight Arsenal signings now? | OneFootball

Highlights

Arsenal nowadays have one of the most talented squads in both English and European Football, as Mikel Arteta's side are brimming with quality all across the pitch.

However, that hasn't always been the case in recent memory, with the drop-off following Arsene Wenger's departure in 2018 hitting the club hard. Unai Emery was the man who took over from the legendary Arsenal boss, with Gunners fans no doubt remembering the Spanish coach for a dismal period in the club's history.

Arriving at the Emirates Stadium with a track record of success on the continent, Emery was tipped to bring the good times back to Arsenal and help them challenge towards the top of the table once again. In reality, it was anything but, with Emery struggling to endear himself to the Gunners faithful during a sombre 78-game stint in charge.

While his tenure might not have lasted much longer than 16 months, Emery did leave an imprint on the Arsenal squad in the shape of his transfer business. From future stars of the club to some of the worst signings in Arsenal history, Emery certainly had a mixed record in the transfer market.

So, in recognition of Emery's time with Arsenal, GIVEMESPORT have taken a look back at his first eight permanent signings as manager.

1 Stephan Lichtsteiner

The first signing of the Emery era back in June 2018, Stephan Lichtsteiner joined the north London outfit on a free transfer, with the then 34-year-old having just left Juventus.

Spending one season with the Gunners, Lichtsteiner featured just 23 times across all competitions but was a regular during Arsenal's run to the Europa League final, which they lost against fellow Premier League outfit Chelsea.

Upon leaving the Emirates Stadium, the Swiss defender joined Bundesliga side FC Augsburg, where he spent one more season in professional football, before retiring in August 2020 following an illustrious career which spanned an impressive 19 years.

2 Bernd Leno

One of the biggest deals Arsenal made during Emery's first pre-season as manager, Bernd Leno arrived at the club following a £19 million move from German side Bayer Leverkusen.

Leno was signed to provide competition for veteran goalkeeper Petr Cech, but the German quickly established himself as the number-one pick from the autumn time onwards and racked up 32 Premier League appearances during his maiden campaign.

That didn't last long though, as following the acquisition of Aaron Ramsdale, Leno fell down the pecking order at Arsenal, before moving to Fulham for the cut-price of £8 million in the summer of 2022.

3 Sokratis Papastathopoulos

One more purchase from the 2018/19 season now, Sokratis Papastathopoulos is another example of the mismatched transfer strategy adopted by Emery during his Arsenal tenure.

Costing close to £18 million, Papastathopoulos joined the club from Borussia Dortmund, with the then 30-year-old signing what was dubbed a 'long-term deal'. The Greece international played 69 times for Arsenal across his three-year stint and was part of the side which won the FA Cup during the 2019/20 campaign.

After departing the capital club in 2021, Papastathopoulos returned to his native Greece, where he won two Greek Super League titles with Olympiacos.

4 Lucas Torreira

A transfer that brought about genuine excitement at the time, Lucas Torreira was supposed to be the anchor in Arsenal's midfield for the next 10 years, but instead, the Uruguay international failed to live up to expectations.

Signing for a reported £26 million fee, the former Sampdoria starlet was an ever-present in the Gunners' midfield during Emery's first season, featuring 50 times across all competitions. However, after the 2018/19 campaign, Torreira would play just 39 more matches for the club, with the midfielder spending the majority of his Arsenal career away from the Emirates Stadium.

Loan moves to Atletico Madrid and Fiorentina would punctuate a failed Arsenal transfer, before the now 27-year-old joined Turkish outfit Galatasaray for a measly £5.5 million in August 2022. Indeed, he was part of the team's incredible Champions League victory at Old Trafford recently when they embarrassed Manchester United thanks to some late goals.

5 Matteo Guendouzi

From one midfield flop to another now, with Matteo Guendouzi the final entry on this list from Emery's first season in charge of Arsenal.

Costing just £8 million back in June 2018, big things were expected from the teenage midfielder, who had previously impressed for French side Lorient. While he may have been part of the 2019/20 FA Cup-winning side, Guendouzi would be sent out on loan twice prior to leaving Arsenal on a permanent transfer in 2022.

Recouping £10 million for his signature, Guendouzi had originally joined Olympique de Marseille on loan in 2021, but made his stay permanent the following season and he's now on loan at Serie A outfit Lazio instead.

6 Gabriel Martinelli

Over to the summer of 2019 now for the first entry on this list to be considered a successful transfer. Not only was Gabriel Martinelli's signing the best of Emery's spell as Arsenal boss, there are some suggestions it could go down as one of the best-ever in the Premier League era.

Journalist Pete O'Rourke recently told GIVEMESPORT that Martinelli - who cost just £6 million from Brazilian side Ituano - has to be considered 'one of the best signings' made by Arsenal in recent years.

Integral to Arsenal's rise back up the Premier League table, Martinelli has been a resounding success, with the Gunners faithful, in part, having Emery to thank for the signing.

7 Nicolas Pepe

The same cannot be said about Nicolas Pepe, who will instead be remembered as one of the worst, if not the worst, signing made by an Arsenal manager.

Not only was he responsible for some hopeless on-pitch performances, the winger is still the second-most expensive signing in the club's history.

Purchased for an eye-watering £72 million, Pepe made over 110 appearances in his four years at the club, with the attacker scoring just 27 goals during that time. Unfancied by current boss Arteta, Pepe was sent out on loan to OGC Nice for the 2022/23 season, before being let go entirely last summer, joining Trabzonspor on a free transfer.

8 William Saliba

It had looked at one point as if William Saliba was going to be another promising Emery signing, whose Arsenal career failed to live up to the hype, but that is certainly no longer the case.

Joining during the 2019/20 summer transfer window for £27 million, Saliba was immediately loaned back to Saint-Etienne for the remainder of the campaign. Another loan move to Nice would follow the season after, before the defender spent his third consecutive campaign away from the Emirates Stadium in 2021/22, this time with Marseille.

Saliba's fortunes would change at the beginning of the 2022/23 campaign, as Arteta brought him back into the fold, with the Frenchman establishing himself as one of the league's best defenders.

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