Mikel Arteta continues to undertake a massive overhaul of the Arsenal playing squad as the Spaniard’s rebuild at the Emirates continues to gather momentum.
While the Gunners have once again splashed out over £100m on new signings, yet more high-profile lucrative signings have been moved on and got off the books.
In his two-and-a-half years in charge of the red half of north London, the former Manchester City assistant manager has yielded the axe on several big-money signings, to create a culture and environment that he believes will help contribute to getting Arsenal back to the top.
For every signing the former midfielder has made – one or two players who don’t form part of the 40-year-old’s project have been told they’re surplus to requirements and need to find another club.
With that in mind, HITC Sport has put together an Arsenal XI that could have left by the time the summer transfer window closes in three weeks time (1 September).
Arsenal XI that could have left by the time the summer transfer window closes
Iceland international Runar Alex Runarsson looks set to follow Bernd Leno out the exit door with a move to Turkey in the pipeline, according to the Telegraph.
The 27-year-old made six first team appearances for the Gunners having joined the club from French side Dijon in September 2020. He spent last season on loan at Belgian side OH Leuven.
Hector Bellerin remains keen on re-joining La Liga side Real Betis for whom he spent last season on loan with.
Discussions regarding the Spaniard’s future remaining ongoing and the Telegraph report that the pacey right-back is ‘desperate’ tor return to Betis.
Having spent two seasons on loan with Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart, Greece international Konstantinos Mavropanos joined the German outfit on a permanent deal this summer having made eight appearances for Arsenal’s first team.
Fellow centre-back Pablo Mari has joined newly-promoted Serie A side Monza on a season-long loan having spent the second half of last season on loan at fellow Italian side Udinese.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Monza will be covering the 28-year-old’s salary and Arsenal will receive a bonus if Monza manage to stay in the Italian top-flight.
Following the big-money arrival of Oleksandr Zinchenko, who will challenge Kieran Tierney for the left-back spot, from Manchester City, Nuno Tavares was sent out on loan to Marseille following his arrival from Benfica last summer.
When the former Celtic man was injured last season, the Portugal Under-21 international came into Arteta’s side and there were times when the opposition deliberately targeted and tried to isolate him, due to his vulnerability.
The 22-year-old marked his debut for Phoceens with a goal in their opening day win of the new Ligue 1 season.
Having spent the last two seasons out on loan at Atletico Madrid and Fiorentina, former Sampdoria midfielder Lucas Torreira has joined Galatasaray on a permanent deal.
The Uruguayan international was brought to the Emirates for £26m by former boss Unai Emery and he made 89 appearances for the north Londoners.
Football Italia claims that Arsenal are in talks with reigning Serie A champions AC Milan over a move for Albert Sambi Lokonga.
The 22-year-old Belgium international only signed for Arsenal a year ago from Anderlecht in a £17million deal. He made 24 appearances last season, but following the arrivals of Zinchenko and Fabio Vieira – he now finds himself further down the midfield pecking order.
With Arteta keen to free up space in his squad and on the club’s wage bill for potential new signings – Ainlsey Maitland-Niles and Reiss Nelson could also leave before the end of the transfer window, reports the Telegraph.
The English duo spent time on loan at Roma and Feyenoord last season – the two sides that competed in the final of the inaugural Europa Conference League, which was won by Jose Mourinho’s Giallorossi.
The Telegraph reports that Arsenal are willing to allow their club-record £72m signing Nicolas Pepe leave this summer, but the Ivory Coast international’s wages are proving a stumbling block.
The former Lille superstar made just five Premier League starts last season, the last of which came in October.
Like Tavares, fellow Arsenal loanee Folarin Balogun scored on his Ligue 1 debut having come off the bench to score a consolation goal in Reims’ 4-1 defeat to Marseille.
With Arteta keen to bolster his squad further while continuing to trim his squad, Arsenal look set to be one of the busiest Premier League sides during the last three of weeks of the summer transfer window.
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