After coming so close but failing to lift the 2022–33 Premier League title, there’s a belief at Arsenal that their period of dominance is now here.
Arteta is keen to use the foundations laid last season, and the summer transfer window to help his team remain at the top. There will be headline arrivals at the Emirates, but some players must make room for that. In the same vein, here are some Arsenal players who are deserving of transfers.
1. Kieran Tierney
In 2019, he joined from Celtic and quickly became a fan favorite. Though that changed last season with Zinchenko’s exploits at left back, the 25-year-old was left warming the substitute bench. He only made six PL starts, making him one of the quality players who didn’t get enough game time. Newcastle and Aston Villa want him.
2. Granit Xhaka
He may have played his last game for Arsenal. His seven League goals and seven assists last season make the 2022-23 campaign his best at the Emirates. The Swiss international could not leave at a better time; he left at his best. Notably, with Rice or even Caicedo joining Arsenal, they can move on past him. Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich want him; he deserves that transfer. Arsenal could pocket €15 million from his sale.
3. Folarin Balogun
He was a hit in Ligue 1 on loan at Reims this season, scoring 21 goals in 37 games. Even so, the Arsenal academy graduate may still have to move if he wants regular playing time next season, with a fit-again Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah standing in his way.
4. Takehiro Tomiyasu
Tomi, like Tierney on the opposite flank, was previously undisputed as Arsenal’s first-choice right-back, but a more complicated defensive shuffle saw him lose his place, with William Saliba finally given his chance at center-back and Ben White thriving out wide to accommodate the Frenchman.
The Japanese international has failed to follow his billing due to injuries. There’s talk of Arsenal moving for another right back; Sacha Boey and Joao Cancelo have been linked. This move shows Arteta is ready for a fresh start at right back; hence, Tomiyasu may have to stay and fight for his starting spot or move elsewhere where he can start every game.
Who else should Arsenal sell to raise significant transfer fees?
Daniel O
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I think those 4 would realistically fetch around 80mil, maybe 90mil max. Is there a 5th player not mentioned?
I think the writer was drunk or rushed to meet the deadline 😂
I’d be surprised if Arsenal sell Tomiyasu. The other players that could leave are Pepe, Tavares, Runarsson, Soares, Lokonga, Trusty, Saliba, Nketiah and Holding
We could get more than £250m from player sales, if the agents are good
I agree. Arsenal players are being totally devalued. Balogun was priced at £30 million during the winter when he was not an international and had not exceeded the 20 goal barrier. Why are they still valuing him at £30 million?. You would not find and international player who is only 21 and has scored more than 20 goals for less than £60 million anywhere. Also Xhaka who still captains his country and scored a brace against Wolves the other day is being valued at £15 million and he is still only 29. You can’t make this up. Anti Arsenal websites flying under the Arsenal banner.
You’re spot-on about Balogun. If Jonathan David is valued at £60m, Balogun’s price tag should be around the same or at least £50m in England, because of his homegrown status
I know Jonathan David has been playing for Canada and showing his productivity for several seasons, whereas Balogun could be a one-season wonder. But Balogun is two years younger
seliba?
If PSG give him a better offer
Day dreamer saliba impossible
Who is your fifth player?
I’d prefer to see Balogun on the USA tour before judging him as sale-worthy, and Tomiyasu isn’t one of the transfer rumours (is he?), but the other two are scheduled to leave anyway.
ESR, Pepe, Holding. Everyone is talking about Zichenko n Jesus but one thing to remind is that they both missed plenty of games and Arsenal performance didn’t hampered, so they r also dispensable so are Nketiah, Nelson. If we get any amount of Jorghinho then he should also be in shopping list. Then there is Taraves n others. As long as we get good sum and good replacement we should try balanced turnover of the squad to achieve a better n more complete team.
Keep Tierney, get shot of Zinchenko! Can’t defend to save his life and continually gives the ball away. I counted 17 times in one game and I’m sure I missed a few. He’s a liability who cost us the title. Tierney should be a starter
Exactly my view Kevin.Arteta couldn’t see that for the whole season,we ended up trophy less.Seling Tierney will just confirm that Arteta is not a proper,manager.
He has been so unfair to K.T,I just don’t know why?
I thought Zinchenko left City so that he could play in his natural position at midfield. Why he wasn’t rotated with Xhaka left me baffled by Arteta.
I think the only player in the list that I would see go is xaka.
1. Kt who do we replace him with ? Arteta didn’t utilise him properly and unless we have a replacement not what I want to see
2. Balogun, simply put we need a quality striker. Sell eddie before him but tbh with cl we need 3 strikers to compete on all fronts
3. Tommiyasu – he just had injuries is a good RB and we need another. He can also play cb and frees up ben white to cover cb
4.xaka he wants to leave so let him go. He had a cracking season but if we can bring in caciedo 1st and Rice 2nd I am happy with that.
Bogus opinions by the Article writer
Zinchenko is highly overrated and defensively very weak.Too short,too slow and cannot defend one on one.Very easy to nutmeg. Arsenal have won most of their games without him, while conceding less goals. Zinchenko should be sold,he gives away the ball too often with miss passes, side and back passing. Why did Pep not hesitate to sell him to Arsenal, while trying to buy Tierney. If Arsenal strengthen the midfield, Zinchenko is not needed to invert. Arsenal needs a much better fullback,who can defend.
“Zinchenko is highly overrated and defensively very weak”
I thought no one would speak the obvious
I think Zinchenko can be utilised as a midfielder in the Xhaka position. As a left back he is a 100% a total disaster and worth nowhere near the £30M we paid for him which was even more than what we paid for Tierney! Ridiculous transfer business, Pep mugged us.
I think we should keep Balogun and sell off Nketiah. The ones that needs to leave can go. Tomiyatsu wasn’t bad for me except for the injury
Any fees from the sale of Tierney will presumably be fully utilised in buying Cancello or another full back as we certainly cannot depend on Zinchenko in terms of his fitness nor his defensive capability.The sale of Tomi is a non starter as he is unlikely to be fit for some time and Xhaka will be retained until a suitable replacement is in the bag.I assume the fifth man is the much maligned Holding, who despite the unjustified criticism he receives, is a sellable asset , as will be proved if and when he is transfer listed.
Sell Nketia, Holding, Tierney since Arteta doesn’t want to utilize him well, Pepe, Tavares, Soares, Lokonga, Viera, Trusty, Rurnason and other dead woods. Arteta has to be ruthless if we are to make progress. Also, Edu should buy Caicedo and other needed players. That boy is phenomenal.
I agree with Wayne and Kevin Zinchenko is not better than Tierney in any way. If he is that good why did Pep got rid of him? He cost us a lot of points. Pep would have kept him knowing Gundogan is aging. I would like us to buy a player who can go toe to toe with Odegaard. Like Ozil he disappears in big games. ESR can also challenge him for that position but I don’t think Arteta is that fair. It will be extremely difficult to sell all the players suggested above. I don’t understand why we let Lacazette go as he could have helped in the run in and all the big games. We need a 20 plus goal striker, a very mobile box to box midfielder, an understudy to Partey and a proper playmaker.
I sometimes feel sorry for Holding as he gets unnecessary criticism. During the games he replaced Saliba we lost as much as we did with Kiwior. Fans just hate him but they can not pick the mistakes he did during those games. Saliba cost us points because of lapses of concentration but no one focuses on those. Our defense is good I would rather focus on the midfield and attack which were dominated during the run in.
Not sure what the writer is smoking, but don’t think many agree with his list of players.
1. Tierney
Sell him because Arteta can’t tactically use or employ a defensive LB? Tierney is far superior defensively to Zinchenko who is a defensive disaster, which he has proved many times.
2. Xhaka
IMO would be a great backup to have, but don’t think he would accept the role of 2nd choice. We clearly need to improve the midfield, and it will come at a cost to some players, Xhaka being one of the starters.
3. Balogun
So sell off our only striker that has touched the 20 goals mark without ever giving him an opportunity to prove himself? Nketiah should be the 1st out the door, who for 4 years now has failed to flatter or even being competitive for the CF spot. Jesus continues to show he is not the striker we need to take us to the next level. Pep knew this, so hope we shuffle him to winger/backup striker if we want to compete with the best.
4. Tomiyasu
Great defender, was our best defender for weeks when he first joined Arsenal. Had some bumps with injuries, but has shown there is a quality player in there at RB/LB and CB. Let him prove his fitness and quality this year, or sell him next Summer if he continues to have injury problems.
I would add Jesus to the list if someone offered 45 million at least. He runs around a lot and presses well, but if we want to hoist trophies we need a striker who scores.
I get many others won’t bring in the pounds when they are sold, but some still need to be cleared out. Sell Nketiah to help fund Saliba, not a big loss especially if we keep Balogun.
Well said!
Why should Tomiyasu prove his fitness or sold but you didn’t put same condition to Tierney who has failed to prove his fitness for 4 seasons?
Tierney was fit this year, proved it, but Arteta didn’t give him opportunities.
Zinchenko should prove himself as well based on your assertion. Zinchenko injured AGAIN, 3rd time now, or more? He was also injury prone at City.
Yet another reason to keep Tierney instead of going fishing and hoping to catch a productive LB.
Durand, it is a good thing that Danny O is not part of the management team at Arsenal.
Everyone saying Balogun should demand a 60mil fee, I have 1 question for you…..
If we desperately need a quality striker and we allegedly have a 60mil striker on the books while having Eddie and Jesus that are underperforming………then why on earth are you advocating to sell him and keep Jesus and Eddie?
A much more logical suggestion would be to sell Eddie and use Jesus on the wings to challenge Saka and Martinelli (yes I know MA doesn’t rotate but this is presuming he’ll finally learn). Bring Balogun back and buy a good striker that would be a starter for Balogun to challenge.
Having keenly followed the comments above,there’s a question we are afraid to ask.Is Arteta the person to win us Epl&the champions league?
The way he has handled some situations and treated some players leaves alot to be desired.(Tomiyasu,Tierney, ESR,Saliba,Laccazate,Guendouzi.)are all victims of Artetas attitude.I am afraid,unless something happens we may not get far with this Arteta guy.
Why is everyone forgetting pepe among the deadwood that needs to bounce out
I don’t agree with that list at all, apart from Granite Xhaka. Who I think we should sell:
Granite Xhaka
Rob Holding
Jorginho
Pepe
Eddie Nketiah
I actually really like Eddie Nketiah his style reminds me on Ian Wright, I just don’t think he will ever reach the level we need and it does him a disservice to hold onto him when he could be playing every week at a less ambitious club.
Rob Holding similarly, seems to be really well regarded around the club and playing staff but again just isn’t and won’t ever be quite good enough to play regularly for Arsenal whereas he could for a different club.
Xhaka and Pepe don’t really need any reasoning for their sale, and Jorginho whilst being a fine technical player and helped us during the run-in isn’t getting any better and his wages could be put to better use.
Ben – XHAKA yes – virtually gone
Rob HOLDING – his time is up too though it’s always a shame when someone who has been faithful to us has to leave.
I think we should keep JORGINHO as he is useful.
It’s a shame about PEPE because I always thought there was a player in him somewhere ! Apparently his loan club are not happy with him as they say he is too nonchalent in his approach ! If only we could have harnessed him to at least be good cover on the wings. Seems most unlikely now.
Eddie NKETIAH – a most likeable lad but doubt he will ever be quite good enough for a club of our stature. I can see him at West Ham !
Kieran TIERNEY should be kept but MA doesn’t see him in his set up (re: playing the so called “inverted” LB role).
I’m very concerned about TOMIYASU reportedly being out until late October.
Ben are you Ben Dungate ?
That is I.