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?