Mikel Arteta continues to overhaul his Arsenal squad after their successful season.
The Spaniard is looking to offload players who came before his arrival in December 2019 with four more men - including club-record signing Nicolas Pepe - set to depart this summer. Arteta and Edu have introduced a fresh recruitment policy in recent years.
As a result young players have been targeted with the average age of the squad greatly lowered, giving the team a bright future. Only a hand full players who Arteta inherited from Unai Emery remain at the Emirates, but that number could soon decrease further.
Not including academy graduates like Bukayo Saka, seven senior players in the current squad have been at the club before the Spaniard was appointed - Kieran Tierney, William Saliba, Rob Holding, Mohamed Elneny, Granit Xhaka, Gabriel Martinelli and Pepe.
The Telegraph understands that the Gunners expect Xhaka, Pepe and Tierney to all leave this summer. Rob Holding, who served as defensive cover in the final weeks when Saliba was missing through injury, could follow them out the exit door if reinforcements are made.
Xhaka has been linked with an Emirates departure on several occasions. Arteta convinced him to stay put early in his tenure and the Swiss star has just enjoyed his best campaign to date, but a return to Germany is now on the cards.
Pepe has never been able to justify his huge fee and spent last season on loan at Nice in Ligue 1. He was unable to find his form once more and Arsenal are looking for buyers. Tierney meanwhile has fallen down the pecking order and is seeking more minutes, potentially at Newcastle.
Arteta is looking to further bolster his young squad, which remains extremely thin. That lack of depth cost them in the final weeks of the season and, with Champions League football returning to the Emirates, more players will be required if they are to compete on several fronts.
The Gunners ran out of steam in the Premier League and made few inroads in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup. Nevertheless they remain an attractive outfit with Declan Rice thought to favour a move to the club with his future at West Ham set to end.
Brighton's Moises Caicedo has been on their radar in January and they could return with a fresh offer despite the player signing a new deal recently. Ilkay Gundogan is also being linked with his Manchester City future unclear as his contract winds down.
