Arsenal's five best January transfers of all time

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 31 Jan 2025 18:38 GMT
• 4 min read

Arsenal have made some excellent signings over the years, with a number of eye-catching deals completed during the January window.

The Gunners have had their fair share of transfer disappointments, but several players have shone after joining the club mid-season.

Below, FootballTransfers runs through Arsenal’s five best January transfers of all time.

READ MORE: Arsenal's five most expensive January transfers of all time

Lee Dixon - €700k (from Stoke, 1988)

Following the departure of Viv Anderson to Manchester United, Arsenal boss George Graham signed Lee Dixon from Stoke City and he went on to establish himself as a Gunners legend.

Dixon became one of the best full-backs in English football during his time in north London and he racked up 618 appearances across his spell at Arsenal, helping the club win 12 trophies along the way.

Dixon eventually retired in 2002 to end a 14-year stint with the Gunners.

READ MORE: Arsenal's five worst January transfers of all time

Martin Keown - €3m (from Everton, 1993)

Martin Keown was an academy graduate at Arsenal, but he left the Gunners in search of pastures new, before re-joining the club in 1993.

Keown departed Arsenal to join Aston Villa in 1986 and he sealed a return to north London with a €3m move from Everton in 1993.

Over the next 11 years, Keown played 447 times for Arsenal and won 11 trophies, including three Premier League titles, as he became one of the club’s greatest ever defenders.

Kolo Toure - €185k (from ASEC Mimosas, 2002)

Kolo Toure made a huge impression during his trial at Arsenal, with the Ivorian reportedly wiping out Thierry Henry, Denis Bergkamp and Arsene Wenger.

However, Wenger saw something in Toure and Arsenal signed him for a mere €185,000 in 2002.

He went on to become a stalwart in north London and he played a key role in the club’s Invincible season. In total, Toure made over 300 appearances and helped Arsenal win six trophies, before being sold to Manchester City for €18.7m in 2009.

Theo Walcott - €10.5m (from Southampton, 2006)

Theo Walcott was just 16 years old when Arsenal decided to spend €10.5m to bring him to the club in January 2006.

The Englishman had already made 21 appearances for Southampton’s first-team by the time of his departure, and Arsenal banked on his huge potential when they brought him to the club.

He shot to fame when he was included in England’s squad for the 2006 World Cup and although Walcott struggled with injuries during his time at Arsenal, he was a fan favourite in north London.

Walcott notched 108 goals in 397 games for Arsenal across a 12-year spell at the club.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - €63.8m (from Borussia Dortmund, 2018)

Although his time at the club ended on a sour note, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is one of Arsenal’s best signings in recent memory.

The Gabon forward was outstanding for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga and he continued that form upon his arrival at the Emirates Stadium.

Aubameyang scored 92 goals in 163 appearances for Arsenal, including a brace in the 2020 FA Cup final, and he eventually left for Barcelona in 2022 after being stripped of the captaincy.