Emile Smith Rowe is set to become the joint-most expensive sale in Arsenal’s history as he nears a move to Fulham.

The attacking midfielder has struggled for game time at the Gunners over recent seasons. Now, he is set to make a cross-London move to Fulham, who are prepared to pay £35 million for his services.

Although Smith Rowe has only been sparingly used by manager Mikel Arteta in recent campaigns, this fee will make him one of the most expensive players in Arsenal’s history. He will now join an illustrious list of former players.

The top ten list of sales spans the past 24 years, with some surprising names making the cut. Here, Mirror Football examines the players Smith Rowe is joining and how they fared after leaving Arsenal.

10) Nicolas Anelka - £23 million

Nicolas Anelka joined Arsenal for £500,000 as a 17-year-old in 1997, winning the Premier League and FA Cup double in his first full season. Although he finished as the Gunners’ top goal scorer in the 1998/1999 campaign, the Frenchman decided to move on.

Spanish giants Real Madrid agreed to pay £23 million for him, though he spent just a single year there before moving to PSG. He became somewhat of a journeyman thereafter, returning to England for spells with Liverpool, Manchester City, Bolton Wanderers, and Chelsea.

His Premier League career was effectively ended by a controversial celebration during his time at West Bromwich Albion. Anelka retired in 2015 after a spell with Mumbai City and is now the chief executive at Turkish side Ümraniyespor.

9) Robin van Persie - £24 million

Robin van Persie became a modern-day legend at Arsenal, but his reputation in the eyes of fans was tarnished by his £24 million move to Manchester United in 2012. He led Manchester United to the Premier League title in his debut season, winning the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award in the process.

He spent two more years at Old Trafford before joining Fenerbahce and concluded his career at boyhood club Feyenoord. He spent some time as a coach at the Dutch side’s academy before taking his first managerial job at Heerenveen in May.

8) Emmanuel Adebayor - £25 million

Emmanuel Adebayor starred in his three years at Arsenal, but like van Persie, he damaged his reputation with his departure. The striker joined Manchester City in 2009 and quickly became infamous when he celebrated a goal against Arsenal by running the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of their fans.

In response, he was pelted with missiles and further tarnished his image among Arsenal fans by joining Tottenham Hotspur in 2011. He struggled to meet expectations for the rest of his career, though he only retired in 2023 after returning to Togo to play for Semassi.

7) Marc Overmars - £25 million

After three years, one Premier League, and one FA Cup with Arsenal, Marc Overmars joined Barcelona following Euro 2000 for £25 million. The Dutchman struggled to make an impact at the Nou Camp and retired in 2004 due to injury.

He came out of retirement four years later to play one season with Go Ahead Eagles. He became sporting director at Ajax in 2012 but resigned ten years later after admitting to sending a series of inappropriate messages to female colleagues, for which he later received a worldwide ban from FIFA.

6) Joe Willock - £25 million

Like Smith Rowe, Joe Willock was an Arsenal academy graduate who moved away for more game time. After a successful loan spell with Newcastle United, the Magpies made the move permanent in 2021, though he was forced back into a more limited role last season.

5) Alex Iwobi - £28 million

Alex Iwobi also came through the Gunners' academy but struggled to make a significant impact. He joined Everton in 2019 and became a solid player for the Toffees, winning their Players’ Player of the Year award in 2023. He moved to Fulham last summer and is now a regular starter.

4) Cesc Fabregas - £28.6 million

Cesc Fabregas starred for Arsenal after joining from Barcelona in 2003, becoming a key member of the team a year after his arrival. While the 2005 FA Cup is the only trophy he won with them, he is regarded as one of the club’s greatest players.

He was named captain in 2008 but returned to Barcelona for £28.6 million just three years later. After struggling to displace Xavi or Andres Iniesta, Fabregas returned to England to join Chelsea, where he won two Premier League titles.

The midfielder wrapped up his career at the top level with a spell at Monaco before spending his final season with Serie B side Como. Fabregas is now head coach of the Italian side, leading them to promotion last year.

3) Folarin Balogun - £33.7 million

Despite making just ten appearances for Arsenal, Folarin Balogun is their third-most expensive sale. A successful loan spell at Reims shot him into the spotlight, and he joined Monaco permanently in 2023, scoring eight goals in his debut year.

2) Alexis Sanchez - £35 million

Alexis Sanchez propelled Arsenal to two FA Cups after joining from Barcelona, establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s best attackers. However, the Chilean became a laughingstock after his £35 million move to Manchester United.

Sanchez flopped at Old Trafford, scoring just five goals in 45 appearances, before being shipped out on loan to Inter Milan. He made that move permanent in 2020, winning two Serie A titles either side of a one-year spell at Marseille.

1) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - £35 million

The man Smith Rowe is joining at the top of this list is Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The Englishman showed flashes of bright potential after breaking into the Arsenal first team but could never quite secure a regular place.

He joined Liverpool in 2017, though a series of serious injuries marred his time at Anfield. He moved to Besiktas last summer but now looks set to return to England, with the Turkish side attempting to find a buyer.