Arsenal set to let 12 players leave in huge summer shake up

Arsenal fans can expect to see a very different line up for the Gunners’ opening game of next season, with a huge summer of incomings and outgoings expected at The Emirates, as per reports. 

According to Football London, manager Mikel Arteta is set to let as many as 12 players leave this summer, paving the way for further spending.

Arsenal spent £150 million last summer, securing the likes of Martin Odegaard, Ben White and Nuno Tavares, but it appears that owner Stan Kroenke is prepared to back Arteta financially once again when the window reopens at the end of the season.

The report states that the Spaniard is prioritising a forward, a central midfielder and a winger to bolster his squad ahead of a European campaign next term.

White and Lokonga arrived at Arsenal as part of their £150 million spending spree last summer

It remains to be seen which of the three UEFA competitions the Gunners will play in but, with a two-point buffer over West Ham and games in hand on all of the teams around them, it appears increasingly likely that Arteta will be leading his side out on the continent next season.

“The Champions League and Europa League both require a much larger squad because the number of games is much bigger”, he said.

“What I want is 22 outfield players and three goalkeepers.

“A lot of things have to be put in place and that takes time, so I am expecting a busy summer.”

With that in mind, it appears that the former Everton midfielder is preparing a shake up of his current squad, with a number of fringe players set to leave.

The likes of Hector Bellerin and William Saliba, on loan at Real Betis and Marseille respectively this season, are listed as candidates to depart Arsenal this summer, with both players believed to be keen on the prospect of extending their stays with their current sides.

Lacazette’s time in the capital looks to be coming to an end

Striker Alexandre Lacazette is another name suggested, despite the Frenchman playing in 24 consecutive league matches before missing the 1-0 defeat to Southampton on Saturday.

The forward is expected to depart North London when his contract expires this summer, although Arteta has admitted that he will try to keep hold of the 30-year-old.

Bernd Leno could follow Lacazette out of the exit door, having fallen behind Aaron Ramsdale in the pecking order. The German pushed for a move away in January but talks with Newcastle fell through, but a summer departure looks almost certain.

Midfield pair Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira are another duo keen on making their current loan deals permanent. The Frenchman looks almost certain to become a Marseille player, with the Ligue 1 side intent on activating the option-to-buy clause that was included in the loan agreement.

Guendouzi is expected to make his stay in Marseille a permanent one

Torreira, meanwhile, could remain in Italy beyond the end of his loan spell with Fiorentina. The Italian side will open talks with the Gunners at the end of the season, and it is believed that all parties are open to the prospect of a deal.

Eddie Nketiah is another high profile player who is expected to leave. The Englishman was prolific for the Gunners at youth level, but has struggled since making the step up to senior football. He rejected a new contract offer from the club in January, and it appears almost certain that he will depart this summer.

Other players listed include Pablo Mari, Alex Runarsson, Mohamed Elneny and Konstantinos Mavropanos, the latter of whom will become a Stuttgart player at the end of the season, according to the report.