Arsenal’s New Line-Up: Which Players Are Staying and Who’s Leaving?

Arsenal’s New Line-Up: Which Players Are Staying and Who’s Leaving?

With the 2023 summer transfer window well underway, the future of the Premier League is shifting daily. After missing out on a Premier League victory by only five points, Arsenal needs to restrengthen and redefine its team to ensure that it has the manpower and tactical advantage it needs to maintain its position at the top of the leaderboard. So, who will join the squad and who will be transferred?

Forwards

Thanks to their exceptional strikers, you’ll never be disappointed when you decide to wager on Arsenal FC games. They have always been the team to watch, especially in recent years with the addition of Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah to their weekly line-up. Throughout the season, the team collectively scored 88 goals.

So far in the transfer window, there have been discussions regarding the future of both Eddie Nketiah and Folarin Balogun. While they both performed well this season, Arsenal must negotiate the sale of some of their current players to fund their transfer budget.

Despite being at the peak of his career, scoring 4 match-winning goals, Nketiah’s future with the Gunners is uncertain. Last year’s transfer of Gabriel Jesus saw Nketiah moved into the second team, leaving him with few opportunities to display his talent. As such, he spent the most recent season moving between the bench and the physiotherapy room after sustaining an ankle injury in a match against Everton.

Now, with Arsenal considering his transfer, several other Premier League teams have expressed an interest in the young player. While the identity of these teams is currently unknown, in the past Crystal Palace, West Ham, and Brighton have made offers to transfer Nketiah onto their teams.

It could be in Nketiah’s best interest to transfer to a new team, with the addition of Chelsea striker Kai Havertz threatening Nketiah’s minutes. Nketiah could once again find himself being overlooked and left sitting on the bench as his position is filled by the German star.

Havertz’s success speaks for itself, he has won the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup while at Chelsea. He’s the ideal addition to Arsenal’s line-up, especially as they want to avoid a repetition of this season’s mistakes. Havertz could be the change they need to find a way to stay ahead of Man City.

Midfielders

The overhaul of Arsenal’s line-up also includes some alterations on the midfield. So far, this summer’s transfer window has been dominated by speculation regarding Declan Rice’s future. While it initially seemed certain that the Hammers’ captain would join Arsenal’s squad in the upcoming season, disputes over his value have complicated negotiations.

Arsenal’s interest in the defensive midfielder has long been apparent, with negotiations for his transfer beginning before the final matches of the season had been played. However, when West Ham won the UEFA Europa Conference League, Rice’s value increased by £20 million. While Arsenal have struggled to bridge that gap, Manchester City have also expressed an interest in Rice.

As it stands, Arsenal cannot afford to miss out on Rice. While Martin Odegaard played phenomenally this season, scoring 15 goals and assisting on a further seven, his success may see him moving forward and leaving a vacancy in the midfield.

The club has also expressed an interest in Fulham player, Joao Palhinha, but it remains unknown if they’ll make the jump to bid on him when so much of their attention is currently focused on Rice.

Defenders

Arsenal’s defense was rocked by the loss of Frenchman, Willian Saliba. After a successful first half of the season, Arsenal found themselves regressing after losing the cornerstone of their backline. Saliba, who sustained a back injury, was forced to sit out for the rest of the season, leaving Gabriel to hold the line with mixed success.

This led to much speculation regarding Saliba’s future on the team. With no guarantee that he would be able to play in the upcoming season, Arteta was forced to consider whether he should replace the defender with a new player. While the situation is still developing, Saliba’s recovery has been very promising so far, leading many to believe that Saliba and Gabriel will remain as Arsenal’s key defenders when play resumes.

In terms of their goalkeeper, Arsenal seems content to keep Aaron Ramsdale at the heart of their defense. After a brilliant season, Ramsdale received the Goalkeeper of the Year award, solidifying his position in Arsenal’s line-up going into the future.

Final Thoughts

The transfer window is far from over, with international teams joining the bidding on the 1^st of July. As such, there is still time for everything to change and Arsenal’s current line-up is far from certain. While much of the public attention is focused on whether the club can secure Declan Rice, Arteta’s drive to switch up the club’s offensive strategy could see the addition of several new players while others are redistributed to new teams.

See More: