ARSENAL have allowed £163.5MILLION worth of talent to quit for free in just three years.
Mikel Arteta spent the most-recent January trimming the fat from his chunky squad.
Arsenal have let £163.5m worth of signings quit for free since January 2018
The Gunners chief let three players walk away for free in a bid to save money on wages.
But since January 2018, Arsenal have now allowed £163.5m worth of signings leave for nothing.
Incredibly, in just a three-year span, the North London side have allowed NINE first-team stars to quit for free.
In some cases, players ran down their contracts after Arsenal failed to offer agreeable terms.
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But more-recently, the Emirates giants have simply been keen just to save a few quid in wages after being lumbered with overpaid flops.
Incredibly, Arsenal could have even made a PROFIT on those who quit on a free.
At the time of their exits, the nine stars were worth a combined £167m, according to Transfermarkt – meaning the Gunners SHOULD have raked in a £3.5m profit.
But for one reason or another, they ended up losing £163.5m.
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Arsenal have let £163.5m worth of talent to leave for free in just THREE years, including Ozil and RamseyCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Here are the nine most-recent players to leave for nothing, in chronological order…
ALEXIS SANCHEZ
Sanchez was sent to Man Utd in exchange for MkhitaryanCredit: PA:Press Association
FROM: Barcelona
COST: £33m
JOINED: 2014-15
QUIT: January 2018
VALUE: £63m
ARSENAL signed a superstar in 2014 when they landed then-Barca forward Sanchez.
After a red-hot start to life, the Chilean quickly cooled and was moved on to Manchester United in January 2018 for free, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan moving the other way.
SANTI CAZORLA
Cazorla left the club after injuries appeared to have ended his careerCredit: PA:Empics Sport
FROM: Malaga
COST: £16m
JOINED: 2012-13
QUIT: July 2018
VALUE: £2.3m
A BARGAIN at just £16m, Cazorla would quickly become a cult hero at Arsenal.
A spate of nasty and frustrating injuries led to the Spaniard leaving for free at the end of the 2017-18 season.
He rejoined Villarreal and enjoyed a rebirth, even earning a Spain recall.
JACK WILSHERE
Wilshere was another who was allowed to leave for nothing due to injuriesCredit: PA:Empics Sport
FROM: Luton (youth)
COST: Free
JOINED: 2001-02
QUIT: July 2018
VALUE: £18m
ARSENAL through and through, the North Londoners were unwilling to offer Wilshere a new contract due to his injury history.
He joined West Ham on a free for the 2018-19 season, but had his contract terminated by mutual consent just one year on.
After six months in the wilderness, Wilshere is having another go of things at Bournemouth – where he enjoyed a loan spell from the Gunners in 2016-17.
AARON RAMSEY
Ramsey paid an emotional farewell to Arsenal in 2019 after the club failed to tie him down to a new dealCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
FROM: Cardiff
COST: £5m
JOINED: 2008-09
QUIT: July 2019
VALUE: £36m
A TOP-VALUE buy from Cardiff in the summer of 2008, Ramsey would go on to bleed Arsenal for a decade.
However, after they failed to tie down the Wales star to a new contract, he was allowed to walk away for free to join Juventus in an emotional goodbye.
DANNY WELBECK
Danny Welbeck failed to reach his potential at Arsenal due to injuriesCredit: Reuters
FROM: Man Utd
COST: £16m
JOINED: 2014-15
QUIT: July 2019
VALUE: £10.8m
ANOTHER promising player Arsenal allowed to walk away for nothing due to injuries, Welbeck would leave in the summer of 2019.
The ex-England man joined Watford but was released after just a year, with the forward linking up with Brighton in October 2020.
HENRIKH MKHITARYAN
Mkhitaryan had his contract terminated last summer following a loan spell at RomaCredit: PA:Empics Sport
FROM: Man Utd
COST: Swap
JOINED: 2017-18
QUIT: August 2020
VALUE: £18m
THE Armenian moved to the Emirates as part of the swap deal that saw Sanchez head to Old Trafford.
The move was thoroughly underwhelming for both parties, with Mkhitaryan having his contract terminated by mutual consent in August 2020 following a loan stint at Roma.
The midfielder then signed a contract with the Serie A giants where he has rediscovered his top form.
MESUT OZIL
Ozil finally left Arsenal in January after going ten months without playingCredit: PA:Press Association
FROM: Real Madrid
COST: £42.5m
JOINED: 2013-14
QUIT: January 2021
VALUE: £4.5m
ONCE dubbed the ‘Assist King’ by Gooners, Ozil was a genuine superstar early in his Arsenal career following his £42.5m move from Real Madrid.
However, the German playmaker gradually slipped out of favour under Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta and was eventually completely frozen out by the latter.
Ozil hadn’t played for Arsenal since March 2020 and earned £350,000 per week despite not making the Premier League or Europa League squads.
He eventually joined boyhood club Fenerbahce last month after having his contract terminated.
SOKRATIS PAPASTATHOPOULOS
Sokratis was one of three players released by Arsenal in JanuaryCredit: AP:Associated Press
FROM: Borussia Dortmund
COST: £16m
JOINED: 2018-19
QUIT: January 2021
VALUE: £3.6m
ANOTHER player to completely fall out of favour under Arteta, Sokratis also had his contract terminated last month.
The Greek defender moved to Olympiacos on a free, with the club making a £16m loss after he joined from Borussia Dortmund in 2018.
SHKODRAN MUSTAFI
Mustafi joined Ozil and Sokratis in being let go for free last monthCredit: Getty Images – Getty
FROM: Valencia
COST: £35m
JOINED: 2016-17
QUIT: February 2021
VALUE: £10.8m
THE German defender is the third and final player to have his contract torn up last month.
The ex-Valencia man cost Arsenal £35m, but made a spate of high-profile errors and was left to rot by Arteta.
Mustafi joined Schalke – linking up with Arsenal loanee Sead Kolasinac – in a move that paved the way for Ozan Kabak to join Liverpool.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
