Arsenal were enjoying a hugely impressive campaign since the start of the season before stumbling in their intense race with Manchester City who ended up winning the Premier League title.
Despite losing the Premier League trophy to City, the Gunners still managed to seal their return to the Champions League.
And as part of Mikel Arteta’s ongoing rebuild to redeem Gunner’s disappointment come next summer, several big names could move on from Arsenal during the transfer window.
Arsenal are gearing up for a busy summer as they prepare for their return to the Champions League for the first time since 2017.
And the Gunners boss, Mikel Arteta is currently reconstructing his squad, which may result in the arrival of some high-value players and the departure of some well-known ones.
From experienced players like Granit Xhaka to promising youngsters such as Nicolas Pepe and Kieran Tierney, several other players in North London are heading into the transfer window with their long-term futures up for debate.
Granit Xhaka, Nicolas Pepe, and Kieran Tierney, among others, are reportedly expected to depart from the Emirates Stadium this summer.
Futballnews examines several Arsenal players who may depart for new teams in the upcoming season.
Granit Xhaka
Although it is unclear if Xhaka will leave Arsenal this summer, there is anticipated interest in the Switzerland international once the season ends.
Arsenal is considering the possibility of letting Xhaka leave to free up space and generate some revenue, especially since they are currently exploring the potential signings of players such as Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo.
Arteta continues to be a strong supporter of Xhaka, who has played a significant role this season by elevating his performance to a higher level in a midfield position that is more forward-thinking.
If the 30-year-old decides to leave this summer and return to Germany, Arteta may not prevent him from exiting Emirate Stadium.
Xhaka completed a high-profile transfer to Arsenal in May 2016 for a fee in the region of £30 million and later became the vice-captain of the club.
During his stint, Xhaka has played 296 matches across all competitions and contributed 21 goals.
Kieran Tierney
Ideally, Arsenal would prefer to retain Tierney before the club’s re-entry into the Champions League.
The Scotland international has been displaced from the starting lineup this season by Oleksandr Zinchenko and anticipated to seek a transfer.
Arsenal may need to generate some funds this summer, and Tierney could be a valuable asset to sell.
As a result, the former Celtic player may be permitted to depart, ending his four-year tenure in north London.
It is believed that Newcastle and Aston Villa are interested in the left-back and may make significant bids for him once the season ends.
The 25-year-old joined Arsenal in August 2019 for a fee reported at £25 million, a record amount both for a Scottish national and for a player from the Scottish league.
He has played 122 matches for the Gunners so far since he arrived and has managed to score 5 goals.
Nicolas Pepe
Nicolas Pepe, the player who holds the record for being Arsenal’s most expensive signing, has spent the previous season on loan with Nice.
Pepe joined Arsenal for a club-record fee of £72 million in 2019 and won the FA Cup in his debut season. Currently, he has only one year left on his contract.
It is evident that Pepe does not have a future at Arsenal, and therefore, the Gunners are expected to seek a permanent transfer for him during the upcoming summer.
However, it will be extremely difficult to find a buyer for him due to his high wages. Hence, resolving this situation will not be easy.
Pepe has played 112 matches for Arsenal before moving to Nice and netted 27 goals.
Other players set to leave Arsenal
Academy graduate Ainsley Maitland-Niles has already announced he will be leaving the North London club, while Reiss Nelson could also depart at the end of his contract amid links with AC Milan.
There is also plenty of speculation regarding the future of loan star Folarin Balogun.
The academy graduate has enjoyed a brilliant temporary stint in France with the Ligue 1 club Reims.
AC Milan are rumored to be interested in acquiring his services too as he looks set to exit the Emirates Stadium.
Another Gunners star Pablo Mari has already agreed to join Monza in a permanent move from Arsenal at the end of the season after a successful loan spell with the Italian club.
Arsenal will make £4.4 million from the transfer, which Mikel Arteta will likely be able to use to bring new blood into the team in the transfer market.
What’s next for Arsenal?
Arsenal’s 2022/23 Premier League season will be concluded on Sunday, May 28 as they host Wolves at the Emirates Stadium. Kick-off time is 4:30 pm.
