ARSENAL boss Mikel Arteta has already splashed the cash this summer, bringing in Gabriel Magalhaes for £27m and Willian on £220,000-a-week.
But the Gunners, who showed signs of life under the Spaniard towards the end of last season, don’t want their summer of spending to end there.
Arsenal are hoping to raise some much-needed transfer funds this summer
A number of stars have fallen out-of-favour at the EmiratesCredit: Reuters
In order to bring in more new faces, however, the North Londoners will have to raise funds by shipping out existing players.
Some difficult decisions will have to be made, with some of their FA Cup-winning heroes potentially on the chopping block.
So, without further ado, let’s take a look at who could be shunted out by the Gunners in the coming weeks.
LUCAS TORREIRA – VALUE £24m
Lucas Torreira, 24, has at times threatened to be quite a good player for the Gunners.
Particularly in his first season at the Emirates, fans were enthused by his scurrying tenacity and influential midfield performances.
Injuries have scuppered his progress, however, and it would appear that his face no longer fits at the club.
The Uruguayan could return to Serie A, with Fiorentina reportedly weighing up a £24million transfer for the ex-Sampdoria star.
Torreira has seen his game time become limitedCredit: Reuters
SOKRATIS PAPASTATHOPOULOS – £3.5m
The burly Greek defender was only ever signed as a stop-gap solution for the Gunners.
He did okay in his first season, producing relatively solid performances as his side reached the Europa League final.
But Sokratis, 32, faded badly in his second year with the Gunners, and he lost his place under Mikel Arteta.
He could get another shot at a big European league, however, with Napoli pushing for a £3.5m transfer.
Sokratis is not part of Mikel Arteta’s plansCredit: Reuters
CALUM CHAMBERS – £12m
The thrice-capped England international has been in-and-out of Arsenal contention for what seems like an eternity now.
In reality, it’s been six years, and Gunners fans will have hoped for more progression from the injury-prone defender.
It also probably doesn’t help when you keep getting relegated while out on loan.
The 25-year-old has gone down with Middlesbrough and Fulham – although the latter have been linked with a £12m move to bring him back to Craven Cottage.
Calum Chambers’ progress has been hampered by injuryCredit: Getty – Contributor
MATTEO GUENDOUZI – £30m
The Frenchman was a popular figure for much of his first two years at the Emirates, gaining fans for his passionate displays and flying challenges.
But Mikel Arteta is demanding more guile and discipline from his midfielders.
Guendouzi’s issue with the latter came to a head following Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat at Brighton in June, and he hasn’t been seen with the first-team since.
The 21-year-old doesn’t appear short of suitors, however, having been linked with the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Valencia and Villarreal.
Matteo Guendouzi has had a fraught relationship with Mikel ArtetaCredit: Reuters
ROB HOLDING – LOAN
At 24, Rob Holding is nearing a point in his career where he just has to play.
Despite having impressed on his periodic runs in the first team, the Englishman has never amassed more than 12 Premier League appearances in a season.
Injuries have played their part, but none of Arsene Wenger, Unai Emery or Mikel Arteta have seemed to fully trust the 6ft 2in defender.
With Newcastle United keen on a season-long loan deal, however, Holding could have an opportunity to properly prove himself over a longer period of games.
Rob Holding performed well in the recent Community Shield triumphCredit: AP:Associated Press
AINSLEY MAITLAND-NILES – £30m
The versatile academy graduate would be a sorry loss for Gunners fans, should the club choose to part ways with him.
At 23, Ainsley Maitland-Niles has begun to flourish in the Arsenal first-team under Mikel Arteta.
He started at left wing-back in both the FA Cup final and Community Shield, but could lose his place to Kieran Tierney when William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes eventually slot into the centre of defence.
So with this in mind, and feeling that they could get a decent fee for him, Maitland-Niles could be let go – with Wolves believed to be the most keen.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles has enjoyed a decent first-team run under ArtetaCredit: Getty Images – Getty
MOHAMED ELNENY – £4.5m
Until very recently, the Egyptian was a forgotten man at the Emirates.
Shipped out on loan to Besiktas last season, it seemed unlikely that he’d ever play for Arsenal again.
But Elneny, 28, was handed a start in the recent Community Shield triumph over Liverpool by former team-mate Arteta – and appeared composed on his return to the Gunners.
Club chiefs are still believed to be willing to sell him, however, although they’ll probably be hoping to get more than the £4.5m that Transfermarkt believes him to be worth.
Elneny made a surprising return to first-team action against LiverpoolCredit: Reuters
SHKODRAN MUSTAFI – £13.5m
This time 12 months ago, Shkodran Mustafi appeared to be in the wilderness at Arsenal.
The German had just endured an error-strewn end to the 2018-19 campaign – and Unai Emery certainly didn’t let it be forgotten – with Mustafi not even making the bench for the first 12 games of the following season.
Mustafi, 28, kept plugging away, however, and managed to build some form and confidence by the end of the campaign.
Privately though, Gunners chiefs would still jump at the opportunity to ship off the ex-Valencia centre-back.
Mustafi worked hard to get back into Arsenal first-team contentionCredit: Getty Images – Getty
MESUT OZIL – ANYTHING
The decision to hand Mesut Ozil a new £350k-a-week contract on February 1, 2018 has crippled the Gunners.
While the German has ambled around in his increasingly rare appearances, his salary has limited Arsenal’s ability to offer competitive deals to other players – as well as raising the demands of the likes of now-departed star Aaron Ramsey.
Shipping him off has proven quite the task, however, with the 31-year-old understandably quite happy to sit on his handsome salary.
But with a year still to run, Arsenal will happily take whatever they can get for their former talisman – with tentative interest having come from Turkey and the United States.
If a picture could sum up a player’s season…Credit: Reuters
Rob Holding scores diving header own-goal for Arsenal against MK Dons
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
