Report claims financial controls may require departures despite the team’s push for major honours.
Arsenal will have to sell at least one first-team player this summer as the club balances last year’s spending under financial controls, according to a report in The Daily Telegraph.
The report by Sam Wallace and Sam Dean states that internal discussions are already taking place about which departure would generate the most significant return, and whether more than one sale could be required after the club spent £268m in transfer fees following the end of the most recently completed financial year.
Academy graduates Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly are mentioned as potential departures because of the accounting benefits associated with selling home-grown players.
The report adds that similar financial logic could apply to Martin Odegaard, who will enter the final two years of his contract this summer. Having spent five years at the club, the captain’s book value is low, meaning any sizeable transfer fee would represent a substantial profit.
Gabriel Martinelli and Ben White are also cited as possible candidates to leave. Martinelli, signed in 2019 for £7m, could deliver a large profit because of his relatively low book value, while White, who joined in 2021 for £50m, would also command a significant fee, but it seems unlikely the club would get anything close to £50m given his injury problems.
Further contract decisions are approaching elsewhere in the squad. Kai Havertz will have two years remaining on his deal this summer, prompting a decision on whether to extend it, while forwards Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard will both enter the final year of their contracts at the end of the season.
With the team still competing across four competitions, further revenue growth is possible after turnover rose to £690.3m.
However, the report states that the scale of last summer’s investment means player sales will be required.