Which players are most likely to follow Wenger out of Arsenal?

Who else will play their last Emirates game tomorrow? by Dan Smith

There is no disgrace to lose to Athletico Madrid over two legs. In fact the two games were perfect in highlighting to our new manager exactly where Arsenal FC sit in the current footballing landscape.

Ultimately the reason the Spaniards were made favourites when the draw was made, were what gave them the edge. In the moments that mattered they showed leadership, concentration, were streetwise and every one knew their jobs.
It’s not how a man who has shown 22 years of love and loyalty deserves to bow out. Disappointment will still be too raw for most fans to give the man the respect he deserves for 90 minutes.

Yet the reality is it won’t just be Arsene Wenger who will be saying goodbye to the Emirates this Sunday and nor should it be. While our manager deserved for his last game to be in Lyon, it would be hard for many of our players to seriously suggest they deserved silverware from this campaign. It’s a cruel reality that so many who have let their boss down will be protected and wrapped up in cotton wool one last time, with some not mentally strong enough to get over Thurdsay’s exit in time for Burnley.

Some describe this as an exciting chapter for the club but under our current ownership it’s also a scary one. Do they have the ambition to pick a manager and adopt a transfer policy that will help close the gap with Manchester City? Even before our missing out on champions league football was confirmed in midweek there were talks that only 50 million would be spent this summer, anymore must be risen by sales.
While wholesale changes never happen, factoring in the above, who else could be about to play their last home match as a gunner?

Cech/Ospina
Promises of playing in the cup competitions means Ospina continues to play a healthy amount of games but he still can’t become our number 1 despite Cech making mistakes he didn’t at Chelsea. Both keepers are good but no longer grea due to age. Lack of resources means this isn’t a crucial area to cover but if the right GK became availiable we should think about it. Either way keep Cech around the place as he’s one of the few leaders we have.

Mustafi
Last summer he nearly went to Italy due to apparently not making making friends within the squad. Like a year ago though it’s hard to see anyone giving us 30 million for the German. He does have his good games but is too inconsistent considering how much we brought him for. With younger CBs needing guidance and Koscielny seeming no longer able to play two games a week, the pressure increases on the World Cup winner to lead our back four. He hasn’t got the qualities to do that.

Bellerin
Slightly harsh as he young which means there was always going to be a dip in form. This is more a case that Barcelona have their eyes on him. If they are still wlIlling to spend the amount they were in the last few windows it must be tempting for the club, especially if we need to raise funds. Remember most Spanish lads want to return home one day so why not do a deal where everyone wins.

Wilshere/Ramsey
Despite being a genuine fan and having been at the club since a child Wilshere appears offended by the contract on offer. At Xmas I understood how our board would find it hard to decide on what wages he deserved but surely he’s proven his fitness. It must be a heart vs head decision for him as he may feel that his career could benefit from a fresh start. I wouldn’t be surprised if Ramsey is thinking the same thing. Both owe a lot to a club who supported them through serious injuries. But with the man who signed him as a teenager departing, might the Welshman see this as the time to try something new? He’s lost some of his friends in the last couple of windows and Jack might be the straw that breaks the camels back

Iwobi
Divides opinion but for me should be the first name put up for sale. Apart from being part of our academy I don’t hear an argument of what he’s doing at a top club. Yes he’s young but he’s been around the squad enough now for judgement to be made. He has skill but no end product and no confidence in his final ball or shooting. Given his position his statistics are woeful.

Wellbeck
I like him in terms of his build up play, which is fantastic and you can’t question his work rate. The harsh reality is though he’s paid to score goals and in the games that matter he misses the chances which matter. A good squad player but never going to be a starter. Same reasons Man United sold him.

Who else do you think will leave Arsenal this summer?

Dan

55 Comments

  1. Am not sure I know which player should go with Wenger. We don’t know players who has inbuilt qualities, we don’t know these that could be thought to play better, we don’t know if playing in a different way will improve everyone? To many things are wrong with the squad generally so I will say let us see who our next manger will be and let us see what he is going to do. I think am still heartbroken about the Europa result. I can’t wait for the season to be completely over so that we can start building for the next season.

    1. In that team that played against Athletico, apart from Chambers, I don’t care who is sold or who remains. They are all useless. Right now, no player is good enough for arsenal. no one steps up.so no one can be missed.We may blame Wenger but look, is it Wenger’s fault that bellerin can not pass a ball with attackers waiting in the box? is it his fault that monreal over hit crosses instead of simple taps? I totally disagree. we got visionless and unfocused players with a very negative mentality. no passion not urge.. Even if your manager isn’t good play for the club and fans.make us believe the tactics are poor but individually you worth it.Its the opposite. These players are all mediocre. They have no respect for the fans and arsenal as a brand.
      Wenger has nothing to loose.Bench them all for the remaining 3 games. play the team that played against manutd.

      1. How many times have we seen our players play like this, how many times has the pundits crucified us and our playing style. Is it not up to the manger to demand more of them? It is not up to the manger to kick out whoever is not willing to carry out his instructions? How then is it the players fault. So I disagree completely with everyone killing one player or the other. As a manger if your kind of work ethics is not met then the player is out. Discipline and obedience. So it’s all Wenger’s fault if his players are not perfoming well on the pitch and he is still proud of them. Your players reflect your mindset and if that is not happening and you still keep them employed then it is your fault.

    2. Very well said Anko, me like most I presume were ready to start typing the names we’ve been wanting gone for years. But you make an excellent point about a different manager and a different set up, might give us some different ideas. Tactics, tactics can change the whole shape of a player, and we never prepared ourselves for stopping our opponents enough. Also players coming in might complete a partnership or two, raise performances.

      One name I do agree on is Xhaka though, Keown and another TV pundit stated Xhaka is simply not good enough for Arsenal. They say we need to cut our losses on him and I agree. He is so careless it’s unbelievable, and you wouldn’t really call him a play-maker neither. He lets runners go too often and that is just lazy, it’s the basics, just caring enough so to not get beat. He’s not a winner, I reckon he just wanted the riches and lifestyle and that is where his priorities lay. When I think about how much everyone wanted to win when we were young, playing just because we love the game, someone like Xhaka makes me sick. I understand how some will feel the same about Ozil, but Ozil has an art that none of us could ever touch.

  2. the entire team should leave for the new manger to build a new team and have a fresh start….

    the u21 players can stay with laca, auba, mkhi and those who joined this season

  3. Dan- I’ve just spent the best part of an hour writing a post and when finally sending in notice you have basically written what I have written with the same players (except I didn’t have Welbeck) because even Wenger is not stupid enough to take him to PSG (which is what my post was about).

  4. Ramsey?
    No. He’s one of those that the new manager should look up to in the present squad. Remember Arsene will be gone and there will be transformation. Remember the Ox that we slated here? Has he fared well recently for Liverpool?
    Managers can transform players. The guy at Manure couldn’t let Mo Salah shine at Chelsea but the guy at Liverpool is turning him into super star.

    1. Agree. Klopp can maximize the fringe players’ potential like what the younger Wenger did in the past (Henry, Vieira, Bergkamp)

      I hope we can get a manager like the younger Wenger again

      1. Henry, Viera and Bergkamp were “FRINGE PLAYERS”, whose “potential” was maximized by Wenger? You must be joking or your comment loses something in translation?
        If you look at the quality of the players Arsene Wenger inherited to the players he is leaving on his departure, there is no comparison.

        1. Viera and Henry he has a point, they flopped in Italy. I remember seeing Henry in the world cup before we bought him, he looked like an out and out winger hugging the touch line with only his pace standing out. He didn’t look half the player he was before he got going at the AFC. Vieira I didn’t know of, and was amazed someone let him go because he was so dominant it was unreal. Bergkamp is a Rioch purchase, and I knew of him before he went to Italy, he looked really good when he came on for Holland, you could see that close control of his and excellently weighted passing immediately.

      2. Wenger never maximised the potential of Dennis Bergkamp. He had a hard time in Italy because he hated the intrusion from the Italian Paparazzi. I followed Dennis’s career from a youngster at Ajax and he was a superstar from the day he put on his first pair of football boots.

        1. Ozziegunner, I think we both got the horrors at the post from gotanidea at the same time

  5. Tbh depends who comes in
    Alegri
    Simone
    Klopps bit*c
    Viera
    None of these would allow Xhaka Mustafi
    Ozil to continue to stroll through games

    So it all depends on who comes

  6. Wilshere is not good enough, he can leave. We can’t have the team full of squad players, we must have quality players with quality back up challenging to take their spot. Like Monreal/Kolasinac rivaly has brought out the best in Monreal. Wish we had another right back to have a go at Bellerin. Ramsey hopefully will also be replaced, I have never trusted him and he is one of the guys whose career has been built soley on unconditional trust and favourism by Wenger at the expense of the team’s well-being. So, I agree fully with the list, they should all leave..this year of the next.

  7. I think the new manager will be ruthless, so these players could stay:

    – Cech: Having a very experienced GK like him as a backup GK would be an asset

    – Mustafi: Still young and he is needed to replace Koscielny

    – Bellerin: Talented and still very young

    – Elneny: Still young, just got a contract renewal, low salary and he also did not want to move

    – The new players (Kolasinac, Lacazette, Aubameyang, Mkhitaryan)

    – The squad players (Chambers, Holding)

    – The talented youngsters (Maitland-Niles, Nelson, Macey, Iwobi)

    Whereas these players could leave:

    – Ospina: Too erratic and too small to be the Arsenal GK

    – Wilshere: Cannot improve his level, despite he was given many chances

    – Ramsey: Another midfielder with fluctuative performances

    – Welbeck: He is notorious of his lack of goals in MU and Arsenal

    – Ozil: Looks frustated with his performances, but unwilling to work harder either. Might look for a more established team to gain more supports in the field, the one that is more suitable to his lazy style of play

    – Xhaka: Too many criticisms for him on the media and he has got two seasons to prove himself

    – Monreal: Worked hard to get a new contract, but he is already 32

    – The old and injury-prone players (Koscielny, Cazorla)

    1. Ozil is luxury he needs to go we need explosive and determinant players like Nabil Fekir

      1. Fekir can come if two of Ozil, Wilshere and Ramsey go

        In addition to replacing our CAMs, Arsenal need explosive wingers like Salah, Sane, Mane and Sterling. Adama Traore, Gelson Martins or Leon Bailey would be good candidates

        1. We wont be getting Fekir, the only chance we would’ve/might have had is with Wenger and getting Lacazette and French teammates to try and convince him. All of the biggest will want him, Barcelona are not the midfield they used to be, I can see them making a big play for him. R Madrid will want him too, Bayern Juventus City Chelsea will all be closely following him. Unless we offer ridiculous money but I don’t see it as we have other areas being a priority over Fekir’s CM/CAM/no10 positioning. I would love if we got him but he’s too hot right now, we had a chance before these last two seasons but we flinched.

          1. During wenger’s era i would say no to get a player of Fekir calibre but now we have people like Sanllehi who are capable to push a transfer to a finishing line

    2. Rambo and ozil are iur very best players….very few players in the league like both of em. will keep em both. we need a specialist defensive midfielder and a world-class defender.

  8. Every position needs two world class players that will be very good start to rebuild – squad players shouldn’t be average or younger who are not ready for 1st team ie Reiss Nelson

      1. Barcelona and Real Madrid or in other interpretations “squad depth “ which has been a problem for long you have one quality player in 1st 11 if he is injured you bring in kids or average player that’s why European cup has been changing hands between those clubs “quality “ is something you can’t denie exists in football and that’s why we are where we are!!

        1. Even Liverpool now they know what it takes to play good football unlike Wenger we lost to A.Madrid he stil talk shit for next Manager that he needs only 3 players something he keep talking for over 10 years I am glad is leaving

  9. Depends who the new manager is tbh. Someone like Jardim gets the best out of his players or a manager like Mourinho who gets the most out of a system. Players who can definitely leave are Ospina Wilshere Welbeck Kosielny. Players who can leave for the right money eg more than market value, Ramsey Bellerin Mustafi Elneny Xhaka Ozil ( has to be enough to cover the costs of a world class replacement). Players who can leave if the system doesnt fit Lacazette because there is no point having a 50 million pound striker on the bench if we only play one upfront as the money can be used on a pacey direct winger like Zaha. Loan out Iwobi Holding Mavropanos to mid tier premier league teams only. I feel we could easily get back into the top 4 buying premier league proven players like Lascelles Butland Ndidi Dacoure Marhez. Over seas players i would like us to recruit Sidibe Lemar from Monaco. Leno Tah Brandt from Leverusen.

    1. Mavropanus is a gem….. just watch out how the new manager will get to fall in love with him….. Mavropanus is strong, Aggressive and pacy……. He is just like Van Dick of Liverpool

      1. Delusion Super
        He can be like Van Dijk – I get
        He’s like Van Dijk – U kidding????

    2. Would very much like to see Lascelles in Arsenal team. He’s not over-sophisticated but has bags of physical presence, aggression and will to win. Ideal future Arsenal captain.

  10. There certainly are a few that I wouldn’t miss if they were to leave…. I’m just praying that Mislintat gets on it and buys some quality players ?

  11. Give the new manager 200m…get these following players……..golovin(25m),ndidi(30m),gk Allison roma(35m),doucoure(35m),fekir(45m),kimmich(30m)….get the following players out… ospina(10m),welbeck(18m),koscielny(5m),wilshere(25m),ozil(35m).that’s 93m..with the 93m get manolas from Roma for 30m..douglas Costa 35m,..players that should go on loan..holding, iwobi, nelson…..we would then have a team like this
    Allison
    Kimmich mavrapanos manolas kolasinac
    Ndidi cazorla
    Fekir Golovin
    Lacazette Aubameyang
    Subs_cech,bellerin,monreal,mustafi,ramsey,doucoure,nketiah and Douglas Costa
    Coach_Julian Nagelsmann
    Arsenal would be back with a bang and a team to be feared

    1. @chiza
      Kimmich would not leave bayern to come to us. We need to go after realistic signings like; OBLAK from atletico madrid for GK, would be difficult but we can offer him more money for his new contract which is thinking about over there, SIDIBE from monaco for RB, MANOLAS from roma for CB and he is greek too so would pair well with mavropanos, DANILO PEIRERA for DM from porto, beast of a player and fast, MEYER from schalke for CM, he will be free and he is a perfect replacement for cazorla and lastly LEON BAILY from bayern leverkusen for LW, young, direct, fast tricky player with a good record this season in bundesliga. Oh i wish i was a scout for arsenal. These are all realistic signings for a huge club like arsenal. First eleven would look like this:
      Oblak
      Sidibe manolas mavropanos monreal
      Peirera meyer
      Mhki ozil bailey
      Aubameyang

  12. I think one of the goalkeepers will go. My preference would be for Cech to remain and perhaps move into a mentor/coach kind of role for a new younger goalkeeper.

    Whilst I understand the point about Mustafi, I cant help but wonder if he isnt one of the players that might benefit from a different coach, besides which Mertesacker retiring, Koscielney out for a long time, possibly career over… Arsenal need to find a couple of decent centra backs even if Mustafi stays. If someone offers a good price for him then fine, but otherwise I would say keep him and maybe sell him in january or next summer if he doesnt improve.

    I would like to see Bellerin stay and improve, but realistically if someone offers more than £40-£45million for him then I would let him go.

    I have no argument about Iwobi or Welbeck sorry to say. Iwobi may improve with training, but Arsenal dont seem to be short of talented young attacking midfielders.

    Wilshere/Ramsey, one of them is probably going to have to go, if for no other reason then there needs to be a bit more space for new players to come through and whilst they are good players on their day, they arent quite good enough to make you think that they are irreplaceable.

    Ill be honest and say that whilst I have a soft spot for players who seem to try hard for the club, regardless of how effective they are, I would also have to wonder whether Xhaka, Kolasinac or Elneny might be let go too. Either because of their consistency or just query over quality.

    The one player I would like to see leave but I suspect wont, is Ozil. Whilst I feel he is made the scapegoat more often than is fair, the bottom line is that he is a luxury player, for the money he is paid and the number of times he plays, the results just arent good enough. He would be better off somewhere else, (although, tellingly, no one else seems interested,) and Arsenal would be better off giving a chance to someone who was perhaps slightly less skillful, but tried harder and could deliver on a more consistent basis.

  13. fans failed to realise that after Dein’s departure in 2007….there are no more quality signings…….

    Nazri and co were the last batch of quality signings in 2008…..

    till Ozil, Carzola and Sanchez…..

    Mata, Silva etc…..were all stolen….

    Least we have Mislintat now who is currently heavily backed by Gazadis

    1. Yes John, the impact of David Dein on the early success of Arsene Wenger and the decline in fortunes after he was forced from the board after the Kroenke takeover cannot be ovetstated.

      1. Hence the Moshiri project of bringing Dein and Co together with Wenger to Everton

  14. Chiza please be realistic Allison will be around 50 million, Kimmich as if Bayern would sell him at all and if they did they would want 80 plus same with Manolas hes a minimum 50 million pound player and Douglas Costa is a one trick pony Furthermore you want to buy Doucoure Ndidi Golovin and Fekir? Pick two we dont need all 4. Then onto the sales who’s going to pay 18 million for Welbeck? Wislheres out of contract so no money from that.

    Leno- 17.5 million
    Sidibe- Whatever we sell Bellerin for maybe more
    Tah- 35 million
    Mustafi
    Kola
    Ndidi- 30 million plus
    Xhaka
    Ozil
    Mki
    Zaha- 40 million plus
    Abameyang

    Bench. Cech Chambers Monreal Meyer( free transfer) AMN Brandt( 40 million) Lacazette

    Sales Ospina 5 million, Welbeck 8 million Bellerin 30 million Ramsey 20 million (one year left on contract) Koscielny 5 million, Wilshere contract expires.

    Spent – Around £165 million
    Sales- Around £50 million

    Even this could be unrealistic with the 50 million plus sales budget predicted. Dont start with thats a rumour blah blah blah we have never spent over 100 million and the only reason we bought Abameyang was to stop the fans from literally storming the pitch in disgust at the way we lost Sanchez. Furthermore if we want a manager like Allegri we would have to pay his transfer fee aswell so that has to be factored in.

  15. I agree, Ramsey still has a lot to offer unlike Wilshire that has losts pace and composure. Ramsey can press, has good positioning, scores and works hard for the team. he ll be an asset to our new coach.

  16. Czech,Ospina,Mustafi,Wilshere,Carzola,Kolasinac,Jenkins,Campbell,Perez, should all be moved on.Nobody in their right mind would match Ozil’s salary apart from a team in the Chinese league and I don’t see him moving there.

  17. I would sell both Gk And bring Oblak Or Butland
    From The Defence put Mustafi On The Market, Give Holding On Loan For A PL Side And Bring Koulibaly From Napoli, Mee Or Tarkowski From Burnley(I Would Prefer The Earlier two From The Latter One As They R better On The Ball) And If Its Not Much to Ask Bring A Left Back
    As A DM I Prefer To See Nzonzi Or Doucore (Both R PL Proven Players) and Sell Xhaka(i Know This Wont Happen Tho)
    For God Sake Can We Find A Place For Laca9 Anywhere other Than Arsenal (I Dont Think Any Team Thats Challenging for A Trophy (atLeast in Principle) Would Have Him As A Striker
    send Nelson on Loan As He has All The Quality Just need a game time

    Selling Mustafi + Lacazett + Ospina + Xhaka = 80£ million
    20£ 30£ 10£ 20£
    80£ millions plus the reported 200£ millions is much more enough for the coming manager to build a team that can challenge for PL Title
    from Shaqri, Mahrez, Draxler And Zaha bring Atleast Two Of Them

  18. I really love this post but come to think of it, i think our biggest problems come from the midfield. The central midfield and the defensive midfield positions are both in a menace. I have asked a lot of my friends the role that Granit Xhaka plays for Arsenal FC. Because if you look in details, you will notice that defensively, Xhaka is not what we call a defensive midfielder though i quite love the fact that he is excellent in long range passes but he does lots of mistakes when he is put under pressure especially in that defensive role. Secondly, how can we just sell all of our natural wingers? if you take a look at Mancity, you will also notice the impact of Sane and Sterling in the team.Well i hate to talk without dishing solutions out, so i have decided to give this as a recommendation to the board. The new coach should have a natural winger in the person of Leon Bailly, a Carzola kind of midfielder that can make the runs and easily pick out the forwards in a nice position then a propper look into the defensive department where the likes of Mustafi is really not doing us proud. I think mavropanos woundn’t be a bad idea afterall Varane was 18 when he signed for Real Madrid and the likes of Ozil should sometimes be benched depending on the nature of the game ( very lazy and easily dispossessed during physical games).

  19. we the fans of arsenal failed to realized one concept that for the past awful season witi wenger we manage to play with a team that is full of converted players.eg no appropriate right and left winger(l.w.only alexis and no more),so hw a team can have some dangerous attack without have the actual players in their positions.no energitic offensive midfielder,no holding midfielder(except the injured santi) so more pressure to the defence and the goal keeper.

  20. Millions good ideas can make 1 great !
    In Arsenal every thing was Wenger with the excuses he didn’t want to be interfered in football matters

  21. Well written Dan Smith. It is more about which few we should keep, at least long term. I believe the whole squad is riddled with snowflake types , thanks entirely to Wenger. Of the regular starters or subs, I would keep, (long term) only these: Auba, Laca, Mhki, Ramsey, AM-N, plus all the occasional players like AM-N, Mavrapanos, Nelson and younger ones still. OZIL I would keep, but only until he has shown he can start putting in real regular effort under the new manager . IF he does not or cannot, I would get rid but that wil not be easy given his huge new wages. I don’t see what top club would want him at those wages though, so we may pay the price for Wengers folly on his new contract. We must have tryers and bin all the snowflakes,which is most of the squad, in reality.

    1. Just sell him for half of that to recoup some money – i would say Italians teams may be Juve,Inter?

  22. The real problem is Wenger has cultured losers and a 90% attitude for so many years. No winner, no leaders. It remains to be seen which players will step up, when a new manager comes in and demands more.

  23. Sell: Iwobi, Welbeck

    Buy: GK, 2 defenders, 1-2 midfielders, 1 winger

    All buys would have to be high quality/world class. I think defense/midfield are the first priorities.

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