Arsenal will be forced into selling at least one first-team player at the end of the season as last summer’s $359 million spend catches up with them, a report has revealed.
Arsenal parted ways with vast sums for an array of transfer targets before the campaign commenced, with Eberechi Eze ($90.2 million) and Viktor Gyökeres ($85.1 million) among the expensive additions.
An enormous outlay has facilitated an incredible campaign to date for Mikel Arteta’s side, who are currently perched first in the Premier League and can still secure an unprecedented quadruple of trophies.
However, according to The Telegraph, Arsenal will need to raise funds through player sales this summer to ensure they comply with the Premier League and UEFA’s financial regulations.
Internal discussions are already taking place over which first-teamer(s) could yield the greatest transfer fee and profit to help Arsenal balance the books. A host of names are potentially on the chopping block.
Few Safe From Arsenal Departure
Certain individuals will undoubtedly be off limits when sales are sanctioned at the end of the season—Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and William Saliba to name a few—but Arsenal might have to be ruthless with their outgoings.
According to the report, even skipper Martin Ødegaard is not immune to being pushed out the exit door, the Norwegian’s low value on Arsenal’s balance sheet paving the way for a mammoth profit if he’s sold. However, he’s still considered a hugely important figure at the club.
Gabriel Martinelli is another who is under consideration given his colossal transfer value, while Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard, Kai Havertz and Ben White are other potential candidates for the boot as their contracts tick down.
Arsenal’s current preference is likely to be offloading one of their two precocious academy graduates: Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly. Neither are eager to leave the Emirates Stadium but their sales would count as pure profit given they have come through the club’s youth setup. Past sales of Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah show Arsenal are not averse to selling homegrown talents.
The Gunners are expected to be protagonists in the transfer market again this summer as Arteta looks to build a dynasty, while the arrival of Piero Hincapié on a permanent deal worth $60 million adds to their desire to cash in on some of their stars.
Who Should Arsenal Offload This Summer?
Contracts will come under the microscope when Arsenal consider sales. There are currently four players whose deals expire in the summer of 2027—Martinelli, Trossard, Jesus and Christian Nørgaard.
Martinelli and Nørgaard both have clauses allowing Arsenal to trigger a one-year extension and while the latter holds little transfer value, Martinelli would certainly command a hefty fee if he were to depart. The Brazilian has struggled to take the step to superstar status but is still just 24 years old.
Arsenal could therefore turn to Trossard or Jesus. The former will be 32 years old and the latter 30 by the time their deals run out, meaning extensions are unlikely. Cashing in this summer might be the wise move, although neither are likely to be a truly blockbuster sale.
Havertz’s injury issues and the fact his deal expires in 2028 make him a possibility, while White is certainly a luxury option in a well-stocked Arsenal backline.
Fortunately following years of cultivation, Arsenal will be able to cover for sales this summer given their immense squad depth.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Arsenal Braced for Shock Sale to Combat Looming Financial Issues—Report.
