The Arsenal players most likely to leave (or arrive) this summer

I see a lot of people on this site saying which players we need to get out of the club: Giroud, Mertesacker, Ramsey, Walcott and Wilshere seem to be the favourites. As well as players we need to get in, Aubameyang, Griezmann, Higuain again seem to be the main names banded around.
I feel as Arsenal fans we need to be more realistic, none of the above players will either leave or come in (as much as I along with everybody else would obviously love them to!)

Looking at the Arsenal website of players that are listed as ‘first team’ I think that the players that are most likely to be shown the door for the coming campaign are:

Szczney £ fee
Debuchy £ fee
Rosicky £0 (already gone)
Flamini £0 (already gone)
Arteta £0 (already gone)
Martinez loan
Chambers loan
Hayden loan
Gnabry loan
Sanogo loan
Akpom loan

Then we have players who may realistically come in. I’ve walked through the squad to see what areas need strengthening the most.

I’m not necessarily saying that the ins or the outs would be my personal choices, just choices which seem the most likely. Remember we are Arsenal and Wenger is our manager.

In goal there is no need to replace Szczesny as we still have two strong goalkeepers in Cech and Ospina, plus the Martinez loan deal could have a return clause in it should we be really unfortunate with injuries.

The returning Jenkinson will replace Debuchy as understudy to Bellerin at right back.

We have no problems at left back with Monreal cementing his place in the first team and Gibbs as a perfectly able back up.

At centre back we need a partner for Koscielny. Chambers has great potential but needs some first team, premier league experience, hence his loan move. I’m not sure Hayden will ever make the grade but a premier league loan move should give us more of an indication. This leaves us with the seemingly out of favour Mertesacker and Gabriel who has still failed to impress thus far, but are both very suitable back up players. For the first eleven, Howedes seems to fit the bosses criteria, he would demand a relatively modest fee, he’s German, very strong, versatile, experienced and a leader. Him and Kos would potentially compliment each other’s game very well. He’s almost Mertesacker mark two (but better) with the bonus of also being able to cover either full back.

Arteta, Flamini and Rosicky have been released from the midfield but it seems like we already have these areas covered/replaced with the signing of Elneny in January, Xhaka last month and the emergence into the first team of young Iwobi and a fit Wilshere (take that last one with a pinch of salt) Add to these the likes of Coq, Santi, Ramsey and obviously Ozil. We are pretty well stocked in this area with eight players competing for the three midfield places (two deeper and the No10 role).

If Gnabry goes out on loan then we will be left with four wingers in the shape of Alexis, Walcott, Ox and Campbell. Alexis is the only stand out star here and will be the starter on the left hand side, this leaves the other three fighting it out for the right hand side. Campbell would be my personal first choice for ability, balance and work rate. Ox, Walcott and the earlier mentioned Iwobi are adequate cover for both wings. Although I personally think the quality may not quite be there, we are well stocked, and with none of those players likely to leave it looks unlikely that any new arrivals will come in.

Finally the area which we all know needs strengthening the most…. With Sanogo not good enough, Akpom yet to impress and Welbeck on the long term injury list we are left with Giroud. Giroud is not the twenty goal a season striker that we need but as a second choice is more than capable.
Back up strikers from other ‘top’ teams are:
Iheanacho – Man city
Rashford – Man Utd
Origi – Liverpool
N’jie – Tottenham
Batshuayi – Chelsea

Giroud holds his own in this list and has an important role to play for Arsenal in the coming season.
A first choice centre forward is a priority in this transfer window and looking at the latest rumours it looks like Lacazette could well be the most realistic due to his price, age, qualities, nationality and wage demands.

Wenger stated that he would be looking to add three additions to the squad. (Not including youngsters signed on a free) Howedes, Xhaka and Lacazette seem like the most realistic three. They would not break the bank, or the wage structure, would please the fans and would strengthen the squad no end. Possibly enough to make us real title contenders.

Would everyone be satisfied if this were the case in this window?

COYG!

Alexis Ozil

20 Comments

  1. To be honest with you I’d prefer all those second choice strikers you mentioned above apart from Njie and Origi.I also rate Hayden higher than Chambers because I feel he has more potential but is very injury prone.Those who have watched Isaac Hayden should know this and those who watched them when they played Southampton would know.He outclassed Chambers in that match.Bar his injury he will make it and is a born leader by example as in his play.The players I’m sick and tired of seeing is Mertesacker and Giroud.Yes only these two.For the rest I’m opk with them.People still think Ospina is better than Szczesny because of Copa America and stats.Oh! goodness I dont even want to come there.

    1. Giroud is an excellent backup to a top striker and we need to keep him
      Ospina is an excellent keeper and was very good for us the last two seasons in both pl and fa cup. To have Ospina when Cech is injured is wonderful

      1. Well that’s your opinion.To me he is not even backup quality striker for me.Let me give you an example suppose Arsenal were playing Barcelona and we had a world class cf who was doing the job and he got injured and would not feature in the Barcelona match.How would you feel?You would be afraid because Giroud can’t do the job.He is always proven to be average in his time here and I don’t think he is ever gonna change.What I don’t get is more of you share in my idea that he is average but yet the same people say he is backup striker quality.So from that logic I can conclude that all backup strikers are average then.As for Ospina I will say it and say it here again I know Szczesny is better and to me Szcz should be sold to realize his max potential and for him to feel loved.He should even force himself out.The earlier people open their eyes and see the truth for themselves the better for our club as a whole.Compromising will only lead to failure.

          1. He is not a quality striker because he makes a lot of mistakes in his game.The fact that he scores 20 goals does not mean he is a quality back up striker.It is one thing to be a goal scorer and another thing to be a good or average player.Goal scoring is a very important aspect of a player but not the only aspect.Trust me you can score 20 goals in all competitions and still be average.If Chamakh,Gervinho and all the so called flops scored this same goals they would still have been considered not good enough for Arsenal.His game is just not good enough and I for one believe even if no one believes that we can get a backup striker who is better than him and also a top centre forward.Its all about mentality and willingness.Forget his goals and look at his game or else you’ll force me to bring up strikers in the world who have scored his same goals and are even considered terrible.

            1. Even on TV when I watch him playing am like ”for such a handsome player your football is pretty ugly”.Nothing you can ever do to Giroud in Arsenal can make him succeed.Making Giroud a backup would even make him worse than he is right now.Trust me his form when we make him backup is gonna be the worst we have ever seen him in.I said all this here first.This guy just aint arsenal quality but hey in life luck happens you know.He is just a lucky guy that’s who he is.

              1. I base my opinion on statistics as to why Giroud is a good back up striker

                He has scored 82 total goals for us in 4 seasons
                52 PL goals
                Twice he scored 16 PL goals including last season

                Last season he was the 6th highest goal score in the PL behind Kane (25), Aguero (24), Vardy (24), Lukaku (18) and mahrez (17)

                If he is good enough to score 16 goals and end up 6th highest scorer, I don’t see how he is not good enough to be a backup

                Also if he was bad as you say he wouldn’t be on the French squad let alone leading the attack

                Yes he isn”t good enough to be our 1st striker. We need a player capable of mid 20’s-30 goals but he is excellent as a backup striker

                1. 52 pl goals in 4 seasons isn’t championship quality, that’s an average of 13 in probably 33 starts on average.

    2. Gibbs a back up for Monreal you got to be joking. Gibbs is the worst left back since Sanches, he has know guts to win a ball,his passing is woefull can only pass back or across. Flamini is a better left back. CB

  2. Also I just pray Walcott is motivated enough next season.He can really be a big player.Injuries have affected him over his ten or so years at Arsenal.It’s a shame really.But I still want him to step up.If you can have one so called good season with us I believe in him that he can do it again because in that season he did it using his own legs and brains.I also hope Ramsey and Wilshere motivate themselves greatly as they are very important.I also want Szczesny to go to AS Roma and prove people wrong to become the legendary keeper he’s always been destined for.Players who don’t deserve starting spots next season must also be checked.Players who don’t want to improve and keep doing what they do best for their four or so years they’ve been here must be sold.

    1. only for arsenal, think about it we were scouting xhaka for 12 months before we got him.
      with no one else being chased (no confirmed offers yet)
      either wenger is finished or he’s waiting for something to drop in his lap.

      we have to accept we are not longer a PL big club in terms of buying or winning top trophies, only in terms of ticket prices

  3. If Liverpool can get £15m for Jordan Ibe, why can’t we get £20m for Walcott?

    1. yeah but what is really worrisome is that we value him at only €40m.
      That is toilet price for a player with such talent and recognition

  4. Walcott Campbell, mert and Gibbs without hesitation … They could all comfortably fit in to a WBA or Everton shirt .. Could probably get 40 to 50 for them … That pays for draxler …. We need another attacker and Rodriguez as LB so that’s another 60m if the 7th richest club on the planet can’t afford that !!!!!!! Then would sell ox first (15) then gnabry (10) and finally if required Ramsey ( might get 25 on recent hype but who I would prefer to keep as a good bench option) .. Promote a couple of youngsters and we are up and running … Why is this so difficult????

  5. Wrong we need more. Tbe spine of tbe squad needs looking at and EPL tough players that can come on when we are say 3 up and rest our stars. Can’t see why he don’t go buy 2 top strikers 2 CD and let 2 go we no who they are. Tben a midfielder who dose the simple things well. We are being left behind again with most EPL teams buying NOW United and city Liverpool spuds Chelsea all buying but yet again he won’t. I say if he don’t buy what we need then bye bye AW and the fans should not turn up at games for the good of the club

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