Some Arsenal fans have been left shocked of Mikel Arteta said in his press conference today that every under contract player is ‘likely’ to stay.
Football London reported how the Arsenal boss hinted that multiple departures wouldn’t necessarily be likely at the Emirates Stadium.
“This is an assessment that we will do individually with the players and with Edu, the board and the ownership to make the right decisions for the future,” he said. “Every player that is under contract is very likely to be here with us next season.”
And some Arsenal fans have been left shocked by the comments.
Arteta has previously suggested that Arsenal will be ruthless and methodical in their changes over the summer, with many expecting huge alterations to their squad in the coming months.
But the latest comments throw those supposed plans into some doubt. And the reaction on social media to Arteta’s latest quotes hasn’t been positive.
If taken at face value, it is understandable why Arsenal fans may be concerned.
The Gunners are thought to need to raise funds for their own additions, and the limitations of their current squad have been exposed this term.
Arsenal are sat in a mid-table spot and without major surgery it is difficult to see how Arteta’s side will start competing again.
It should be noted, however, that Arteta may just have wanted to keep his cards close to his chest.
If the Arsenal boss had come out and stated his desire to sell multiple players then their value could be diminished in negotiations.
And it will be interesting to see what Arsenal’s squad looks like in a couple of months, when the window has been open for a while.
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