Will Arsenal really make wholesale changes this summer?

Arsenal could be set to offload a number of key squad members this summer, while Dan Crowley is said to set for promotion to the senior squad.

The DailyMail is claiming that 18 year-old Crowley could be set for a rapid rise into the first-team squad, having been sniped from Aston Villa’s academy. The young midfielder has been described as the ‘best 18 year-old I’ve ever seen’, by former Barnsley boss Lee Johnson, who he worked under on loan previously.

The young star could be set to fill some big shoes however, with reports claiming that we could be set to offload Carl Jenkinson, Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as part of the shake-up.

The story also claims that Leicester’s Ben Chilwell will be targeted to replace Kieran Gibbs, who has struggled to earn regular action this term, and is believed to be eyeing the exit door.

Following the recent emergence of Alex Iwobi, Wenger now appears to be eager to continue to shape his side with an influx of youth.

With the bulk of the players linked with the exit door being British, and holding homegrown status, any that were to leave would need replacing within the squad, in order to comply with FA rules.

For me it is unforeseeable to believe that Wenger would allow so many of his core players to leave the side at once, although this season only Ramsey can really boast holding a regular starting role in the team.

Many have been calling for Theo to leave, and Gibbs has failed to live up to his potential, but beyond that I expect the rest to stay. Promoting Cowley into the playing squad will certainly take time also, but he is certainly held in high regard, and will be one to look out for going into the new season.

Bearing in mind that Iwobi has already displaced the pair in the pecking order, how much of an impact would the 18 year-old need to make to next season to warrant selling the Ox or Ramsey?

Tags Chilwell Cowley Ramsey Theo

24 Comments

  1. Crowley lol.
    Barnsley 7th in div 1.
    Crowley has been injured
    most of the season and
    has made like 3 starts 🙂
    So with that form line Real Madrid will be calling 🙂

  2. I can imagine the Ox being sold, he really has been terrible- zero progress in his time at Arsenal. Gibbs is fine as a second choice left back. Ramsey is a good squad member but shouldn’t be in our first eleven regularly on this seasons form, 100% can’t see him going this summer with Flamini, Rosicky, Arteta already going- in similar positions. Seems like Wenger has a soft spot for Theo- though it feels like we need to sell him or Giroud to make a place for a world class striker. If Arsenal do go down that route- I would expect it depends on whether they are able to buy a pacy world class striker (Aubameyang type- then Walcott exit) or strong & clinical (Higuain type- Giroud exit)- typing that, both seem improbable- perhaps the best we can hope for this summer is a world class, young, physical centreback who might be perceived as worth heavy investment due to their age (Giminez/Rugani?) & a physical defensive/central midfielder (Xhaka/Kante?) & an upgrade on Ox would be a bonus (Payet/Mahrez?).

    1. I kind of agree with you. For me OX has not progressed but I still fancy him over walcott. This guy has played for Arsenal for 10 years and still we dont know what is role is. He is Fast and thats it. He has no ball control. His finishing is not that good. He goes missing in games from the first second. He barely helps bellerin defensively. So my option is Keep Campbell and OX.

      Sell Walcott who if im correct is on a staggering 140K salary for doing nothing.

      1. I’d keep Campbell for sure, I’m just not even seeing any promise anymore from Ox- he was literally better for Southampton & he left them in 2011 just shy of his 18th birthday. He got 9 goals in 36 league games for Southampton, & he’s only got 7 in exactly 100 league games for us- isn’t he supposed to be an attacking player? At least Theo has shown up in some big games for us, and actually had some match-winning displays including a few hat-tricks & great goals against rivals- I’ve got more hope for him still than Ox.

  3. Last season Man City
    offered 40 mill for Wilshere.
    51 games later Wilshere
    has yet to start his seasonal
    5 game cameo.
    Wilsher 90k p/w misses 50 games a season.
    Walcott 140,000 p/w for f’all end product.
    Chamberlain 55,000 p/w for nil end product.
    Arteta 80,000 p/w for doing sweet fanny Adams.
    Flamini 80,000 p/w for doing F’all.
    Rosicky 80,000 p/w for doing nothing.
    Sanogo 50,000 p/w for doing F#all.
    And people keep writing articles on this site
    saying Arsenal is on a tight budget !!! Tight budget my a#se !!!
    A joker on 8 mill a year gives people 90k p/w for doing nothing
    and is praised for”being fiscally prudent”.
    What a load of #%*@@##&%^.

    1. Where did you get Sanogo is on £50,000/week? I don’t think that’s right. His salary would be paid by Palace right now, also. Clearly, Walcott & Wilshere haven’t justified those salaries yet- but Wilshere in particular may still do, a player of that level of potential is hardly going to accept a pay as you play contract is he?! City don’t have an interest in him because he’s an average talent, he’s a player that could potentially strengthen Man City- think about that for a moment. Arteta is supposed to be valuable in the dressing room, but his legs have gone- he has been decent for us in the past and he isn’t being offered a new contract. Rosicky’s career obviously has been tarnished by his severe injuries, again- he won’t be offered a new contract. Flamini- when you sign a player for no transfer fee, you overpay on their wages (at a time we had to compromise on signings due to the Emirates move)- again, he won’t be offered a new contract.

      1. *Charlton not Palace(Sanogo). Living in the past I guess (like Arsene Wenger- ba-dum tsssh). Point still stands.

  4. Arsenal will not make any wholesale changes in the summer, however two players are likely to be added, viz, a striker and a midfielder. The team’s performance since January has not been the best but that does not mean a team that was best in Europe by points won in 2015 has suddenly become a rubbish team in four months.

    Players who will definitely leave are: Arteta, Rosicky, Flamini, and Debuchy. Jenkinson will take up Debuchy’s position so no right back replacement will be bought. The centre backs will remain the same. Unless Gibbs wants to leave, he has been a more than adequate cover at left back so he will stay. If Arsenal were to buy a left back he will be in the 18-19 years category so that he can replace Monreal who is now 30 years old.

    In the striking department Arsenal has been looking for that player for long now. Olivier will be at Arsenal next season therefore such player will be different in style from Olivier. The player will be in the mold of Sturrige and Abumayang. Despite people’s fascination with Lukaku I do not see that happen because he is a one dimensional player and a Giroud type. Over the past three season Arsenal has been adding one exceptional player to the team at a time and making adequate replacements when needed. This time the exceptional player will be in the striking department, while adequate replacements will be made in the midfield.

    In the midfield department the replacement needed is that of Arteta. A defensive midfielder who can initiate attacks from the deep. There are not many players of that type but I believe Emry Can of Liverpool fits that bill. It will not be easy to prize him away alongside Sturrige but those are the type of players we need. If Sturrige has a release clause I do not see him succumbing to Liverpool bullying once the clause has been met. He will enforce the clause no doubt. Emry Can however is too nice to do that so our chances of getting him are slim.

    The rest of the players will come from the academy. Already we have Iwobi who has established himself as a first team player. Zalalem was a key member of the Rangers team early on in their campaign scoring goals and claiming assists. Maitland Niles at 17/18 was and still is a key member of Ipswitch. Dany Crowley until his return last November was also a key member of the League one team he played for. Those are the players that will be part of the senior team without taking up slots in the 25 men squad. Toral still has to prove himself in terms of work rate so he might go out on loan again while Hayden will likely to be sold.

    The Ox will go nowhere while Theo may leave in search of first team football. Those are the changes the rest remain the same. Despite injuries Wilshire remains as class act. The only thing that will keep Ramsey from starting 11 action is Iwobi so that is good for the team. Wellington Silva and Sanogo will all be sold, while Chuba will likely spend the first half of next season out on loan. Serge has to re establish himself as first team player. Injuries and an unproductive loan spell stalled his development but we all know that he is a class act.

    1. So in your estimation Iwobi is ready for a full season as a first team regular, off the back of about 10 games and 2/3 outstanding matches?….Even through the boy himself openly said he still has a lot to learn?….wow,just wow!!!

      1. A player who has established himself as a starter deserves to be in the team irrespective of experience. At what age did Messi, Ronaldo, and to some extent Rooney established themselves as first team starters? Yesterday there were reports that Ali of Tottenham has been shortlisted for your player of the year award. How many matches had he played for the Totts before he became a first team regular at Tottenham. He entry into that team was far much easier than that of Iwobi because there were no better players ahead of him but Iwobi had to work hard to earn his place. He cannot be replaced simply because you have are obsessed with paying the money to bring players from outside. If anything Iwobi will the best among his age category across the league next season.

        1. When you compare Iwobi to Messi and Ronaldo that’s when I put a doubt, those two were exceptional and still are, very few kept leaving the expectations like fabregas, etc, bt there are those one season wonders as well, but it’s true that Iwobi still has a lot to learn like he himself said it , let’s give him that time that he asks for and not overhyping him like some English paper bags wonder kids who have already vanished and their level is below average by now

          1. He gets that time on the field of play on on the bench or elsewhere. He played himself into the team, and when you watch him play, you can only conclude that he will always get better. Any player who will displace him from the team will have to do so on the field of play not use reputation acquired from youtube or some paper reviews. It is ok to say they were exceptional from the word go with the benefit of hindsight but at their time most people would say what they are saying about Iwobi, if they were Arsenal players. Another player I omitted earlier on is Pogba. He demanded play time from Fergie who said “you are still a prospect”. Juventus guaranteed him play time and the rest is history.

            Its not like there are no players who can play in Iwobi’s current position. Wilshire and Ramsey play in that false wideman position. So from time to time they will play there while Iwobi gets the breather you all ask for.

    2. Nice one the Analyzer……. Sturridge who can’t go a few games without injury fits the bill perfectly……Thanks for adding to our injury woes

      1. I expected that criticism but not from you considering that you want Arsenal to buy Draxler, Hummels, and Bender all of whom are injury prone. Sturrige might have had problems with muscle problems since 2014 I think, but it could be down to the pressing game that Liverpool play and the fact that he was being rushed from injury. I think he has had something like 10 games now without being injured. I would gamble with him because he is one player who can give you goals when least expected.

      2. L()L………. Links to my quote that suggests i want draxler, hummels and bender pls…

        If you’d by chance mentioned Aubameyang, griezmann or Reus, that could have been more Like me

  5. Every Arsenal fan seems to think Iwobi is ready for regular first team, well, I don’t….he is still very much work in progress, he should still be understudying a more experienced players in his role and used sparingly….10 games and 2/3 outstanding matches don”t make home ready,lets not get carried away

    1. When you make an opinion at least it must be backed by facts. In all the games that Iwobi started he has done exceptionally well. In the FA cup matches, I think four of those he was our stand out player. In the last four matches he was again our stand out player, and that makes it 8 out of 8. The Ali thing of Tottenham whom you all drool about never hit the ground running when broke into the Tottenham starting line up. Even now despite all the hype about him he has not been that exceptional but we hear he will be the young player of the year, and the cornerstone of England’s Euro campaign. When you take away those neighbour’s wife specs you will realize that come end of 2017 season Iwobi will be the best midfielder in his age group across EPL.

      1. Lollll…..dude, if you had any claims to knowing a thing about football or any credibility when it comes to talking the game you lose it every time you play article on here…mind you it’s not because you are completely clueless, matter of fact I reckon if you actually care t analyse things without been emotional you can make a lot of sense…..the problem with you is the fact your view of everything AFC is heavily distorted with your love and passion for the club…making rational and logical analysis is compromised when all you see is through a rose tinted spectacle…Dele Ali is far more robust,accomplished and ready than Iwobi, hard as that is hard for me to say, not saying he is the finished article, not by a long mile but he is in a different class to Iwobi right now, and that is the fact

        1. Thinking your opinion is fact simply put paid to your claim of objectivity. The good thing is that May 2017 is 13 months away, we would see if you would repeat the same about the two players. Ali was luck to sign for a Tottenham team that had no established players in the starting eleven, while Iwobi had to fight for his place in the team. Lets put to bed the argument on the issue for now and give it 13 months when both player have played almost the same number of games in the league.

      2. You have mentioned Pogba, Messi et al when making your point but lets conveniently overlook the fact these type of players are a one off, and let us also forget about the hundred of EPL youngsters hyped to high heavens in recent years off the back of a few spectacular performances only for them to flounder and disappear under rye scrutiny and pressure of expectation, the latest been the kid from Aston Villa who was meant to set the league alight this season but who has now totally flopped…nobody is disputing Iwobi’s quality, but he still needs nurturing and care, AFC is a team who is expected to win things and the pressure can break a player, am dead sure you were drooling at the mouth about Ox few years back as you would have done with Walcott too, but 4 years and 10 years after we are still awaiting them to fulfill their potentials….Iwobi should be in the senior team, but no way should he be a starter, he can come in and play the odd 20/30 minutes of league games and probably start some games, he can play in the cups and such, that way he can continue his progress without the burden of expectation weighing him down….and by the way Dele Ali also git his break simply because this season was not expected to be this successful for them, if anyone tell you otherwise call them a liar,

        1. Why should he not start when he is having impact on the results? If you go back in history you will notice that both the Ox and Walcot never had consistent performance in more than two games. They always had impact from the bench but whenever they started matches they disappointed. The person who had a sterller season when he broke into the first team was Jack. We all know that despite his injury problems he is a class act.

          My view remains, so far Iwobi has done nothing to be taken out of the first team and every minute he has on the pitch he earned it.

  6. We need a real shake up a BIG shake up..

    Before I get to players going out i would like to state Gibbs for me I understand him leaving but will be sad to see him go..he has been with us for years never complained about his wages or tried to get so much more, he always tried for us and played his role be it LB, wing or bench. unlike other i,e Theo

    Players out:

    Ospina, Scezenzy, Wilshere, Ramsey, Walcott, Giroud, Flamini, Areata, Rosisky, Ox, Sanogo, Gnabry

    Wages: £625k
    Funds: £100 mill

    Thats before we add our transfer budget on with that amount of funds we can get some really good players and also it gives players such as Iwobi and Campbell a chance to play more and show more worth!!

    1. This is not fantasy football but an article about what should realistically happen to Arsenal in the summer. For starters you have no knowledge about what each player is earning apart from thumb suck figures from the press. Second you have no idea how much those players will fetch when sold. Third, Scezeny, Sanogo, and Ganbry had no impact on our season as they were not part of the squad.

      Wilshire, Ramsey, Walcot, and Ox can only be part of your list as the ongoing negativity against British players. Yes Wilshire has spent time out injured, and so has been other players you want Arsenal to buy and this include Draxler, Hummels, and Khedira. Ramsey was an integral part of the team that was at some point the best in Europe by points won, while playing the false wideman position. If you cannot acknowledge that then your assessment can only be down prejudices than anything.

      You want Ox out at 22 for not showing consistency yet you blame Wenger for not buying Payet (consistency came at 28+), Kante (consistency came at 24+). At 20/21 Kante was playing in the French second tier, and at 21/22 he was playing in the third tier. At 22/23 he was playing in the second tier, and managed to play first tier for the first time at the age of 23/24. What makes you think that Ox will not realize his potential in the coming season or next? I will understand you wanting Walcot out but your credibility on assessing players is tainted by too much fantasy.

      1. Yes this is not fantasy this is football!!….First there are many article on player’s wages and all of that is a rough estimate but there have been many article of different player’s wages. The amount stated for the players MR know it all is a downside estimate i.e I priced Wilshere at £15 mil which would be the least I would expect us to sell him for anything low than that we might as well sell him for free…

        Scezeny, Sanogo, and Ganbry had no impact on our season, then why do we still have them for?? Or do you want to keep people that we don’t need which takes up wages??? Does that really make sense to you???

        Wilshere, Ramsey, OX and Walcott are not part of it because we are negative there are part of the list because they do not cut the bill, lets go a bit more into this:

        Ramsey: When play CM he is out of his position alot going for the glory not doing his job (many occasion not just this season) he is also injured a lot and makes far to many mistakes he had 1 just 1 good season..we could get a list of players who would play much better than him..Carzola who have an impact in 2/3 of our matches (key passes, goals counter attack etc) Ramsey 0.5/3 matches

        Wilshere: simple he is injured far too often we can’t have a player in the team who is out for 70% of the league.

        Walcott: Another player injured a lot will show up for 10 matches in all comps and that’s it why do we need someone like that. When Sanchez was not performing you could tell in his face he cared cannot say the same about Theo…On top of that how many sitters has he missed, how many one on one? Once again you want someone like that on your team?

        OX: He is 22 and you want us to wait the same way we have with Theo for him to come in form? Why wait for him to end up just like Theo all the potential no product. In the last 3+ season ox has not developed at all while you have the like of Iwobi and Campbell who progressed more in half a season than Ox ever has once again you want someone like that taken up wages?

        My assement of players is always fair I look at what you have done for us and how you have impacted us look at Elneny in the short period he has been there I find him more influential than both Ramsey and Wilshere put together!!
        There are players we could replace these guys with who have shown they have more impact

        Fans like you are the ones who want us to keep getting 4th and smile about it we are better we have such a rich history of trophies and title challenges and we need to now reform our team with people who want the same!!

        You call yourself the Analyzer yet you have not analysed anything worth while

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