Arsenal are a completely different team from the one Mikel Arteta took control of in December 2019.
The Spaniard has overseen a total overhaul of the playing squad, philosophy, and mentality and has seen the club go from midtable mediocrity to genuine Premier League and Champions League contenders.
While the transfers made under his tenure have, for the most part, worked out, there has been the odd dud here and there.
One of those duds actually signed for Unai Emery's Gunners team and then again for Arteta a year later, all the while earning more than Gabriel Magalhães and Leandro Trossard make today.
Gabriel and Trossard's salaries at Arsenal
Gabriel joined the Gunners from French side LOSC Lille in September 2020 for just £23m, and while he was seen as a "liability", in the words of former professional John Giles, for the first couple of years at the club, he has now become one of Arteta's most essential players, with former great Kevin Campbell describing the defender as the "glue" that holds the backline together.
For his impressive displays over the last few years, the São Paulo-born titan has seen his wages rise from £50k-per-week when he first joined the club to £100k-per-week today, and while that's certainly not a small wage, it does seem like value for money in the broader context of Premier League wages.
Trossard only joined the club last January in a £27m transfer from Brighton & Hove Albion, so he is still on his first contract with the club, which stands at £90k-per-week.
In his short time in red and white, the 29-year-old has been nothing short of a revelation, scoring 16 goals and providing 12 assists in 65 games. This means he is averaging a goal involvement every 2.3 games, which is seriously impressive for a player who was originally seen as a backup option for Gabriel Martinelli.
Overall, it would be fair to say that both Arsenal stars are more than justifying their wages at the Emirates this season, which cannot be said for a midfielder who spent two campaigns in north London.
Dani Ceballos' salary at Arsenal
Yes, the player in question is Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos, although he doesn't get much game time in the Spanish capital, playing just 571 minutes in total so far this season. This lack of opportunity at his parent club was one of the reasons he was able to spend two seasons on loan with Emery and Arteta's Gunners in 2019/20 and 20/21.
Now, the first thing to say is that the Utrera-born ace was not a terrible player – far from it – but he was underwhelming and considering he was on a whopping £120k-per-week at the time, it would be fair to say that he didn't live up to expectations.
In his first campaign in north London, he made 37 appearances as a central and attacking midfielder, scoring two goals and providing two assists, and while that wasn't a dreadful return, it didn't justify his wages either.
His second year was even worse, as he scored no goals and provided just two assists in 40 appearances, making it crystal clear that he wasn't good enough to return for a third stint, or permanently, for that matter.
In all, the 27-year-old cost the club a massive £12.1m in wages across the two years he spent in N5, which breaks down to £157k-per-appearnce, £6m-per-goal, or £2.4m-per-assist, which is hardly value for money.
Wages (Total)
£120k (£12.1m)
Appearances
77
Cost per Appearance
£157k
Goals
2
Cost per Goal
£6m
Assists
5
Cost per Assist
£2.4m
Goal Involvements
7
Cost per Goal Involvement
£1.7m
Ultimately, Ceballos wasn't a bad player for Arsenal, but he never truly justified the amount of money that was spent on him for two years, especially when you compare his performances to those of Gabriel and Trossard, who have done far more for the club for less money.
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