Nine Arsenal players to be sold this summer with Arteta set to promote three academy starlets
According to reports, Arsenal will restructure their team this summer, with Mikel Arteta wanting to offload as many as nine players to bankroll new arrivals.
The Gunners just lost out on Champions League football this season, finishing fourth behind north London rivals Tottenham, but participation in the Europa League will still necessitate considerable reinforcements to a very thin squad.
Arsenal now has a slew of loan players, but nearly none of them have a future at the club, and Arteta aims to cash in.
Arsenal are trying to collect roughly £60 million – and considerably reduce their pay bill – by unloading any players who are no longer in Arteta’s plans, according to The Sun.
Marseille and Stuttgart have already decided to make loan signings Matteo Guendouzi and Konstantinos Mavropanos permanent, costing Arsenal roughly £12.5 million.
They are also looking to split ways with Hector Bellerin, Lucas Torreira, Bernd Leno, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, and Pablo Mari.
Fiorentina rejected Arsenal’s asking price for Torreira, while Real Betis cannot currently afford Bellerin – although both players are anticipated to move on to other clubs.
Benfica are the frontrunners to sign Leno, but will not reach Arsenal’s £8.5m asking price, while Mari is poised to seal a permanent deal with Udinese after impressing in Serie A.
Even though he only started seven games on loan at Roma, Arsenal is most hopeful about earning a good price for Maitland-Niles, with numerous Premier League clubs making inquiries to spark a bidding battle.
The final two players scheduled to leave are Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah, who will leave on free transfers when their contracts expire – albeit the former’s departure will relieve Arsenal of one of their highest earners.
William Saliba and Reiss Nelson, who have impressed at Marseille and Feyenoord, have yet to be decided on their futures, and they might be reintegrated into the group.
Arteta believes in three academy talents – Charlie Patino, Miguel Azeez, and Omari Hutchinson – and plans to give them an opportunity to shine in the Europa League group stages next season.
After clearing the decks, Arteta hopes to bring in at least four new, high-quality signings, including two forwards, a central midfielder, and a new full-back.
ALSO READ:
- Manchester United have one thing Real Madrid can’t offer Harry Kane
- Latest Chelsea transfer news: Mauricio Pochettino first Chelsea signing confirmed as Real Madrid contact Kai Havertz
- Alexis Mac Allister to Liverpool: Medical, shirt number, wages and everything we know
- Tottenham agree contract with Ange Postecoglou to make him their new manager
- Chelsea decide ‘top two transfer targets’ after scrapping Manuel Ugarte deal
- Man Utd ‘make £50m Mason Mount bid as they push for England double-transfer with Harry Kane’
Nine Arsenal players to be sold this summer with Arteta set to promote three academy starlets
