Three Arsenal players have been touted as potential big-name departures this summer, according to a report.
John Cross reports for the Mirror that Arsenal could be ready for a shake-up this summer, and he picks out Thomas Partey, Emile Smith Rowe, and Eddie Nketiah for “possible big-name departures”.
Arsenal are likely to spend significant sums in the transfer market again this summer, but they’ll have to raise some money to do so.
The Gunners’ business in 2023 was partly funded by the likes of Folarin Balogun, Granit Xhaka, Matt Turner, Auston Trusty, and Pablo Mari leaving for decent fees, and it will need to be more of the same this year.
Arsenal can’t afford to keep up with the top clubs and avoid any breaches of the Profit and Sustainability Rules without bringing in some money for the outcasts in their existing squad.
Clubs like Chelsea and Manchester City may have received absurd amounts of outside investment to get to the top, but they’ve stayed there by selling well on a yearly basis.
That’s an area Arsenal have undoubtedly struggled in recent years, until 2023 showed some small signs of improvement.
Players like Smith Rowe remain very popular within the Arsenal fanbase and at the club, but if he can’t get regular minutes on the pitch and there are good offers for a transfer, it’s something the Gunners have to consider.
You always hope to get rid of underperforming players for big fees and keep all the fan favourites around. The reality is that some tough choices will need to be made for Arsenal to keep moving ahead.