Arsenal will need to sell first-team players at the end of the season after spending big in previous transfer windows to build a squad capable of winning the Premier League.
Arsenal may need to sell big names at the end of the season (Image: Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images)
Arsenal may have to sell at least one first-team player in the summer transfer window after spending big to end a more than 20-year wait for a Premier League title.
The Gunners have supported Mikel Arteta heavily in the market in recent seasons after re-establishing themselves as title contenders under the Spaniard. However, their spending over the period so far means they may have to sacrifice key first-team players at the end of the current campaign.
The Telegraph reported that Arsenal spent a total of £268m on transfers in the last financial year, meaning they will have to sell and make difficult decisions going forward.
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is said to be one of the stars the club could consider selling when considering which players could make a lucrative offer.
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The Norwegian international has two years left on his contract at the end of the campaign, making him valuable in the transfer market. The report notes that selling Odegaard for a hefty fee after five years at the club would be a huge benefit under current Premier League and UEFA spending rules.
Two other players touted as ‘likely candidates to leave’ are Gabriel Martinelli, who joined the Gunners for just £7m in 2019 and therefore has a low book value, and Ben White, who was signed from Brighton for £50m two years later.
Gabriel Martinelli is one of the players who could bring huge benefits to the club (Image: Arsenal FC, Getty Images)
In the past, some clubs have sold academy graduates to make ends meet. Miles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri are two star players currently not in Arteta’s squad and could be sacrificed.
Like Odegaard, Kai Havertz has two years left on his contract and is likely to incur a hefty transfer fee. Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus will both be in the final year of their respective contracts at the end of the season and could be put up for sale if the club decides not to offer new terms.
Selling Ethan Nwaneri as an academy graduate would boost Arsenal’s achievements (Image: Miguel MEDINA / AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal, who spent a lot of money last summer, spending £67.5m on Ebereshi Eze and a further £63.7m on Victor Gokeres, are running out of time to raise money from player sales after making a net loss on player sales the year before.
The club have already committed to spending a further £45m to turn Piero Hincapie’s loan move from Bayer Leverkusen into a permanent move, and further reinforcements are likely to be made whether Arsenal win the title or not.
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