Leandro Trossard and Jakub Kiwior to Arsenal transfers is bad news to four Arsenal players
Mikel Arteta aims to bring Premier League glory back to the red half of north London for the first time in nearly two decades as Arsenal continue to spend in January.
Arsenal has risen to the top of the Premier League, with a five-point lead over Manchester City and a game in hand. The Gunners have won 16 of their last 19 Premier League matches, losing just one.
Leandro Trossard and Jakub Kiwior signed in January, and a deal for Real Valladolid’s Ivan Fresneda is becoming more likely before the transfer deadline next week.
With a clear recruitment strategy in place, the Kroenke family has entrusted sporting director Edu with a healthy budget, which he appears to be spending wisely. As Arsenal’s transfer activity continues, SportsDias examines four players who could leave the club.
Reiss Nelson
After the transfer window, Premier League clubs are required to submit a squad list of 25 players.
Although only 21 players were included, players such as Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, William Saliba, and Marquinhos were eligible to be included in the under-21 age group because they did not need to be registered.
Kiwior must be included on the main roster, whereas Fresneda is also eligible for the under-21 team.
This would give the Gunners 22 players in the main squad, and with Saka, Martinelli, and Saliba all having to be moved to the “older group” for the upcoming season, the club may give this some thought.
Nonetheless, due to the fact that all three are considered homegrown talents and thus fulfill the eight homegrown player quota, Arsenal can afford to lose a few homegrown players who have not met expectations.
This includes Nelson, who, despite having shown great promise at the beginning of his Arsenal career, hasn’t really taken off at the Emirates and has struggled for playing time due to Saka’s rapid development.
He did play in the 5-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the end of October, scoring two goals and assisting on another, but his only other Premier League appearance has been a one-minute cameo against Wolves before the World Cup break. It may be time for him to make a change, especially since he will turn 24 during the upcoming season.
Albert Sambi Lokonga
Albert Sambi-Lokonga was hailed as one of Arsenal’s best signings of the previous summer, with the expectation that he would be able to make an immediate impact as a top young Belgian star coming into a shaky midfield.
Granit Xhaka, Thomas Partey, and Martin Odegaard, who comprise an impressive midfield, have made it difficult for Sambi Lokonga to find opportunities.
In fact, he has only started twice in place of the absent Partey, and that was against Manchester United in September, when the Gunners suffered their only loss of the season.
With Oleksandr Zinchenko also able to play in the middle and Kiwior, Mohamed Elneny, and Emile Smith Rowe also able to play in central midfield, it is possible that the youngster will leave the Emirates on loan to further his development.
The Europa League could be of assistance, but if Arsenal are eliminated early, Sambi Lokonga’s playing time could decrease, and at his age, he needs those minutes.
Cedric Soares
Cedric was Arteta’s first signing as Arsenal manager, and after leaving Southampton, he was offered a permanent contract.
With Tomiyasu and White playing ahead of him and Brooke Norton-Cuffy excelling in the Championship, Cedric’s time at the club may soon come to an end, as Tomiyasu and White are currently ahead of him in the pecking order.
He has only made four appearances this season, and as a third-string right back, he may be seeking new opportunities.
Rob Holding
As was the case with Nelson, the same holds true for Holding. Despite a sluggish start to his Arsenal career, Arteta has been regarded as “Mr. Dependable” throughout his time with the club.
Holding made 30 Premier League appearances as Arsenal finished eighth in the 2020/21 season. In the past 18 months, the defender has appeared 35 times for the Gunners, who have rocketed up the table.
White, Tomiyasu, and the newcomer Kiwior are all capable of playing center-back in a variety of ways, but Saliba and Gabriel are obviously ahead of him in the pecking order due to their consistency at the position.
Holding has performed admirably for Arsenal over the years, but it may be time for him to seek first-team football elsewhere.
Leandro Trossard and Jakub Kiwior to Arsenal transfers is bad news to four Arsenal players
