Five players who could be playing their last game for the Gunners
This current wild campaign will now draw curtains. After today’s match, the focus will be shifted to the preparation for the 2022/23 campaign.
It is natural that the fans won’t be seeing a lot of familiar names next season. Here are five who could be appearing in the famous Arsenal jersey for the last time today.
Alexander Lacazette
Majority of Arsenal fans have enjoyed seeing the Frenchman play since his arrival from Lyon in 2017 for then club-record fee. His best season with the club was certainly the 2018/19 season, when he had a whopping 32 goal contributions in 49 appearances, helping the Gunners reach the final of Europa League.
While also winning the Player of the Season award. His passion, determination and love for Arsenal Football Club will be sorely missed.
Nicolas Pepe
It’s safe to say that the London outfit didn’t get a good return of the £72 million that the club splashed on him in the summer of 2019.
Little has gone Pepe’s way since his switch to England from France. And I’m certain he would be pushing for a move away from North London, after playing just 939 minutes of football this season.
His late season form in the past two seasons has been exceptional and I hope he can put a good end to a bad deal for both the parties against Everton.
Eddie Nketiah
Although Mikel Arteta has praised him on a number of occasions in public, especially after his impressive performances against Chelsea and Man Utd recently, it does not look like the young Englishman will call the Emirates Stadium his home from next season.
The Gunners are on the hunt to acquire a big name to spearhead the team from next campaign. And the 22-year-old might not want to play second fiddle anymore.
Granit Xhaka
This is a name which has always given the Gunners faithful mixed feelings. Sometimes the Swiss international has given a world-class performance, while the other times he has made himself look like a disaster waiting to happen.
Nevertheless, one thing we all can agree on is his commitment, despite the difficulties he faced in the past six years at London.
He’s a true icon, who would be missed more by the Arsenal players and staff, than the fans. Xhaka’s future is still up in the air. Despite handing him a contract extension last summer, I don’t expect to see him in the Arsenal colors beyond the clash with Everton.
Bernd Leno
The German has been a very good signing, since his arrival in 2018. But Arsenal certainly needed an upgrade on his position at the start of the campaign. Playing out from the back is certainly not the 30-year-old’s forte.
And Aaron Ramsdale’s performances makes it clear what the team was missing since the German’s arrival.
I just wish him luck for his future, because he’s a genuinely nice lad.
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There are several names that can be added to this list. Mohamed Elneny, Cedric Soares and even Rob Holding have a good chance of departing in the summer.
With the number of players that will be brought in, you can only wonder whether there will be some surprise goodbyes.
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Video – Mikel Arteta talks ahead of our last game of the season