Arsenal will now focus on selling massive list of unwanted players
By Evan Curnew
Arsenal are prepared to give it their all again this upcoming Premier League season. The club has added Declan Rice for the most expensive fee ever for an English player. In addition to this lucrative deal, the club has added Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz for significant fees. While it is too early to say Arsenal are done signing players this summer, it looks likely the club will need to shift a large group of surplus players to raise additional funds.
Express is reporting a list of players that the club will be looking to sell.
List of unwanted players for Arsenal:
Folarin Balogun: The USMNT striker may be unwanted by Arsenal, but that doesn’t mean he’s not talented. After a very impressive loan spell last season at Ligue 1 side Stade de Reims, Arsenal are set to make bank on a Balogun transfer. As The Top Flight has reported, Inter is very interested in signing the player, and advanced discussions may commence soon.
Nicolas Pepe: Things haven’t worked out for the once record-fee player for Arsenal. Pepe has struggled to kick on as a Gunner and now faces an imminent departure. The Top Flight has reported that the Ivorian winger may have interest from a club in Saudi Arabia.
Rob Holding: After the signing of Jurrien Timber, Holding’s chances of playing meaningful minutes next season decreased even further. Even last season, he had little of a role with Mikel Arteta’s side. The Top Flight reported recently that Turkish club Besiktas sent an official bid for Holding.
Nuno Tavares: The Portuguese left-back only played a single season with Arsenal, but already he is on the chopping block. The signing of Oleksandr Zinchenko pushed Tavares out of the picture for Arsenal last summer. After a loan spell with Marseille, Tavares’s next move is unknown.
Aaron Trusty: He just helped Arsenal win the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge, but the American does not have a future at the club. Trusty joined from Stan Kroenke’s Colorado Rapids last January before being immediately loaned back. He then went on loan to Birmingham City for the 22/23 season. Trusty could be a solid pick-up for any Championship side or perhaps a lower-end Premier League club.
Cedric Soares: The Top Flight has reported that Soares wants to fight for a position with Arsenal this pre-season. Despite the club pushing to move the defender, he wants to stay. Soares is reportedly on some pretty big wages, which can make shifting a player of his calibre fairly difficult.
Alberti Sambi Lokonga: When the Belgian midfielder was signed in the summer of 2021, it looked like one for the future. Now Lokonga looks to be out of the plans for Arsenal, and he’s attracting interest from fellow Premier League clubs. Lokonga spent the second half of last season on loan at Crystal Palace.
Arthur Okonkwo: The 21-year-old goalkeeper is reportedly being watched by clubs in England and abroad, as covered by The Top Flight. Okonkwo split last season on loan between League Two side Crewe Alexandra and Austrian Bundesliga side Sturm Graz.
Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson: Runar is the other goalkeeper that Arsenal will look to shift this summer. The Iceland international spent last season on loan in Turkey and has barely been around the first team during his Arsenal tenure. His contract runs until 2024 with the club.
It may be optimistic to see all these players moved, but a good chunk of them will be saying their goodbyes. Express states that should significant funds be made from these transfers, Arsenal could target another forward this summer.