The summer transfer window is set to enter overdrive for Arsenal as no fewer than eight players head out the Emirates exit
Mikel Arteta is firmly in the process of assembling the squad he believes can etch Arsenal’s name further into the history books. This season presents the privilege of a Premier League title defence, an experience the Gunners haven’t felt in two decades.
Not even Arteta himself was fortunate enough to savour that sensation as a player, yet he will look to navigate it like his former mentor, Arsene Wenger, once did. And with that comes the necessity to be somewhat ruthless in the transfer market.
He has already demonstrated that quality, having severed ties with a host of names already this month. football.london takes a closer look at who has departed through the exit door, as well as who could be poised to arrive as director Andrea Berta weighs up a number of prospective signings.
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Six deals ‘in the works’
Regarding incoming transfers, the sole piece of business Arsenal have concluded this summer is the £34.5million acquisition of Piero Hincapie. The Ecuadorian spent time at the Emirates on loan from Bayer Leverkusen last campaign and evidently demonstrated sufficient quality to warrant the outlay.
Nevertheless, director Berta and head of scouting Maurizio Micheli are reportedly pursuing six additional deals at present. The Daily Mail emphasised Berta’s tendency to work on multiple deals concurrently, typically casting a broad net before narrowing his focus.
Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers and Paris Saint-Germain star Bradley Barcola are the principal names being considered to strengthen the left wing. Leandro Trossard has been linked with a departure from the Emirates, while Gabriel Martinelli may also seek pastures new.
Bayer Leverkusen’s Kerim Alajbegovic is also under consideration to bolster Arsenal’s options out wide. Greece international Christos Tzolis is additionally being discussed following reports Belgian outfit Genk have offered him to the Gunners.
In the middle of the park, Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes are the frontrunners. Arsenal have reportedly had two bids for the latter turned down, with the second understood to be valued at £55m.
Eight players exit Emirates
Eight players officially departed the Emirates on Wednesday, July 1, upon the expiration of their Arsenal contracts. The club had already confirmed its intention to part ways with a number of academy prospects this summer, though there always remains the possibility those plans may shift.
Not this time, however, as Sam Chapman, Harrison Dudziak, Seb Ferdinand, Cam’ron Ismail, Will Lannin-Sweet, Josh Nichols, Samuel Onyekachukwu and Alexei Rojas-Fedorushchenko all left on Wednesday. Nichols and Chapman had already secured moves to Croatia and the United States, respectively, while the destination remains uncertain for the majority of those individuals.
Several of those mentioned had only penned their first professional contracts with Arsenal within the past couple of years. Nevertheless, one of the most prestigious academies in world football typically experiences a significant turnover of talent.
Beyond the eight released players, defender Jakub Kiwior and goalkeeper Karl Hein have also moved on. Kiwior has completed a permanent switch to Porto following a loan stint last season, while Hein has departed to Werder Bremen under comparable circumstances.
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