Arsenal: 3 clubs to admire for summer transfer rebuild

2. Lille

Continuing the theme of league underdogs, Lille have surpassed all expectations as they toppled PSG from their title perch. Their entire team’s value was less than Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, and yet Lille are the ones going home with league winners’ medals. In a business flooded with as much cash as football, raising large transfer funds but also spending those funds wisely is crucial for success.

Arsenal will know all too well how Lille expertly operates the financial market. Only two years ago, the London club paid £72m for Nicolas Pepe and while the player has performed well this season, there is debate over whether he will ever justify his fee, not necessarily because of his talent but because of the exorbitant price tag itself.

The funds Lille received from another big sell, that of Victor Osimhen, were reinvested in an even younger and cheaper striker, Jonathan David. Smart buys like this are what has propelled Lille to the title. The implementation of a genius director of football such as Luis Campos proves what value experience in recruitment and squad building can have on a club’s fortunes.

Like Dortmund, the club’s ability to sell well has led to their significant achievements on the field. Transfermarkt states that while the total market value of their outgoings was about £90m, the total fees they accrued was nearly £110m. That is just incredible. Whereas Arsenal sell players for cut price fees, Lille excels in shifting players not just for their fair value but for even more than they are worth. Arsenal can dream of emulating such a strategy in the summer.