Five players Arsenal should look to sell in the summer

The Gunners must make systemic changes to their squad in order to revitalize their fortunes.

Arsenal are under a lot of scrutiny for their league performance and a lack of form. The Gunners have underperformed in the 2020-21 season and Mikel Arteta is running out of time to deliver results for his side.

The Premier League outfit are running the risk of missing out on European football by the end of the season. One of the primary factors for their inconsistent performances has been a few players - who needs to be sold in order to revamp the squad. 

If Arsenal aim to get back amongst the best teams in the league, they need to sell players who have misfired and replace them with able stars. The upcoming summer transfer window will be a good opportunity to execute the process and the London-based side should look out for potential bids for these five players.

5. Pablo Mari

Signed from Flamengo earlier in July 2020 for a fee around €5 million, Pablo Mari has not been able to make an impact in London. The defender has made merely 11 appearances in all competitions, having spent majority of the spell on the sidelines with injury.

The 27-year-old’s market value is not likely to increase either in the future. Arsenal must revamp their defensive options, beginning with offloading Pablo Mari in the transfer window.

4. William Saliba

William Saliba has hardly featured for the Gunners since signing for them in 2019. The player was signed from St. Etienne but stayed at the French Ligue 1 outfit on loan until July 2020. However, earlier in January 2021, the 19-year-old was sent on loan again, this time to OGC Nice.

This frustrated Saliba, who retaliated by calling out Mikel Arteta for “judging him” unfairly. With a friction between the relations of the player and the manager, it will be sensible for the Gunners to cash in on the youngster. 

3. Mohamed Elneny

Mohamed Elneny signed for Arsenal in 2016 and recently spent a year out on loan at Besiktas. The Egyptian has never erupted and blossomed into a regular starter for the club. He has been a squad player at best, with several managers not putting their faith to start him in the lineup.

The 28-year-old has made 15 Premier League appearances, without any attacking output to speak of. There are many midfield options for Arsenal who put Elneny considerably lower in the pecking order. It's best for the player and the club to end the association in mutual interest. 

2. Matteo Guendouzi

Matteo Guendouzi arrived in England in 2018 from FC Lorient and was pegged to be one of Europe’s most exciting young talents. However, he was not able to fully come to terms with the physicality of the Premier League and slowly declined. Mikel Arteta does not seem to trust the midfielder yet, who does not seem fit for his future vision.

As a result, the 21-year-old was sent out on loan to Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga before the start of the season. With the signing of Thomas Partey and the possibility of the club aiming to permanently sign either Dani Ceballos or Martin Odegaard, Guendouzi seems additional to requirements and should be sold in the summer. 

1. David Luiz 

David Luiz’s transfer to Arsenal from Chelsea at the beginning of the season came as a genuine shock for many. Signing a 33-year-old center-back in a fast-paced league did not seem to sit down well in the fanbase, who raised questions over the move.

While Gabriel has been steady, he needs a pace-oriented center-back alongside to form a solid partnership. Clearly David Luiz has lost a yard of pace and the club must replace him by signing a long-term established stopper to partner Gabriel.

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