Arsene Wenger, stubborn purveyor of penny-pinching no more.
With Swiss international midfielder Granit Xhaka's transfer confirmed Wednesday, the Borussia Monchengladbach standout became Arsenal's third-most expensive acquisition at an initial fee believed to be £25 million.
Related: Arsenal completes Xhaka signing; initial fee reportedly £25M
Multiple reports suggest that figure could ultimately rise to £30 million if various bonuses are hit.
As such, here's a look at the club's 10 costliest transfers:
| Rank | Player | From | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mesut Ozil | Real Madrid | £42.5m |
| 2 | Alexis Sanchez | Barcelona | £35m |
| 3 | Granit Xhaka | Monchengladbach | £30m |
| 4 | Jose Antonio Reyes | Sevilla | £17m |
| 5 | Calum Chambers | Southampton | £15.1m |
| 6 | Andrey Arshavin | Zenit | £15m |
| 7 | Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain | Southampton | £15m |
| 8 | Danny Welbeck | Manchester United | £15m |
| 9 | Sylvain Wiltord | Bordeaux | £13m |
| 10 | Samir Nasri | Marseille | £12m |
Xhaka, 23, becomes Arsenal's third signing of at least £20 million while the north London side's competitors continue to spend aggressively. Manchester City has had 20 transfers in excess of £20 million, Chelsea 15, and Manchester United third with 13. Even Liverpool's made nine moves of £20 million or more.
Known to opt for apprehension in the transfer market as compared to England's other top sides, Wenger may open the pocketbook this summer.
Related: 3 ways Arsenal's midfield could line up with Xhaka's arrival
Serenaded by a chorus of whistles numerous times this year from a fan base desperate for a first title since 2003-04, the 20-year tenured gaffer may forsake the beliefs accrued while completing his economics degree at the University of Strasbourg, and Xhaka may be just the beginning.