Arsenal are planning a major sale of players in the summer transfer window, despite amassing more than £120m in UEFA prize money for their appearance in the Champions League final.
The Gunners will face either Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain in a high-profile match in Budapest on May 30, following a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid on Tuesday to seal a 2-1 aggregate victory.
Victory in the semi-final secured him £16 million in prize money, taking his total prize money for the season to £122 million. The club will earn a further £10 million by winning the final and lifting the trophy for the first time.
This windfall, which follows on from the £101 million prize money they received for reaching the semi-finals last season, is a further financial boost that will help Arsenal in the upcoming transfer window.
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However, Arsenal have accepted that they cannot repeat last summer’s transfer activity. In total, they spent £267m on eight new signings, with a turnover of just £10m, leaving them with the highest net spend of any Premier League club at £257m.
Arsenal will look to further strengthen their squad this summer, but with a view to the club’s long-term financial sustainability, they will aim to end the transfer window with a more balanced balance sheet than last year, through the release and release of players.
They will also have to comply with the Premier League’s new team cost ratio rules, which come into effect next season and allow clubs in each state to spend up to 85% of their revenue on team costs.
Arsenal made a pre-tax loss of just £1.4m when they announced their 2024-25 financial results in February, but that figure did not take into account last summer’s transfer business.
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Arsenal are not in a situation where they have to sell before they buy, but they are prioritizing sustainability and going into this summer knowing that they will need to sell during this period.
Clubs have developed transfer plans in advance and prepared for multiple scenarios, recognizing the need to establish a market for players to consider selling.
Ben White, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli are among the senior players linked with a move, while there has also been speculation about academy graduates Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri, whose sale would be a pure gain.
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The club may now be facing a dilemma regarding Lewis Skelly, who has shined as a midfielder in the last two games against Fulham and Atletico Madrid, suggesting he has a future under Mikel Arteta but could also be subject to a possible sale.
One player who is set to leave is Jakub Kivioglu, with loan club Porto announcing they have triggered a clause to sign him for £19m, with Piero Hincapie’s £45m move from Bayer Leverkusen expected to become official.
In terms of new players, Sky Sports News reported that Arsenal are looking to strengthen their attack, central midfield and full-back positions.
Anthony Gordon is one of the players Arsenal are considering for the left wing position
The Gunners are considering Paris Saint-Germain’s Kviča Kvaratschelia and Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon for the left wing position. They are also interested in Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez, who shone against Arsenal in the first leg in Madrid last week.
The Argentina international is well known to Arsenal’s sporting director Andrea Berta, who, in his previous role at the Spanish club, was the manager who joined Atletico from Manchester City in 2024 for £82m.
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However, Atletico Madrid do not want to sell Alvarez and would value him at around £130m even if he asked to leave. Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain are also interested in Alvarez.
The expenditure required by Arsenal to acquire elite-level talent this summer highlights the need for significant sales as the club aims to continue to progress under Arteta while maintaining a sound financial footing in the long term.
Will Arsenal become England’s richest club?
Sky Sports News chief correspondent Kaveh Solhekor reports that Arsenal are on track to become England’s richest club thanks to their performances on the pitch this season.
Their progress to the Champions League final and their place at the top of the Premier League is likely to mean they will overtake Liverpool and Manchester City as England’s biggest-earning club when the clubs next report their financial results.
The Gunners finished second in the Premier League in 2024-25, reached the semi-finals of the Champions League and had a record revenue of £691m, behind Liverpool’s £703m and City’s £694m.
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Arsenal’s commercial revenue rose 41% to £263m, matchday revenue rose 17% to £154m and broadcast revenue rose 4% to £213m.
All three are expected to reach record levels this season.
If Arsenal win the title, the Premier League prize money will also increase. The team that finished second last season earned £171.5m, while champions Liverpool earned £174.9m.
If they win the Champions League final, they will also be guaranteed a spot in the next FIFA Club World Cup, scheduled to be held in the summer of 2029.
Chelsea earned £90m after winning the competition last summer, and Arsenal will be looking to make a similar financial boost.
