A report claims Arsenal will trim their squad even further in the summer. A couple of names have been listed as the likely players to leave.
Arsenal are set to hold a summer clear-out with Alexandre Lacazette and Matteo Guendouzi among those to depart.
It comes as Mikel Arteta continues to clear out the ‘deadwood’ ahead of next season.
It is something the Gunners boss had started since last summer. Guendouzi, Lucas Torreira, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan left for new clubs.
More of the same carried on in January after Mesut Ozil, Shkodran Mustafi, and Sokratis Papastathopoulos were allowed to leave for nothing.
Arteta has a precise vision in mind over the squad and wants to mold it into his exact image.
According to The Sun, the most high-profile departures will be David Luiz and Lacazette.
We reported about Arsenal considering an extension for the Brazilian days ago. However, it appears that might not play out as earlier claimed.
Further exits include Guendouzi and Torreira – out on loan to Hertha Berlin and Atletico Madrid respectively.
The plan is to drastically lower the wage bill which was already getting out of hand.
Offloading big contracts such as Ozil and Mustafi has helped but more cuts are needed.
Sending the likes of Sead Kolasinac, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, and Joe Willock on loan also saved Arsenal about £16.5m in wages.
The report concludes that Arteta prefers a front three of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Bukayo Saka, and Emile Smith Rowe.
Lacazette has lost his place in the lineup in recent weeks and could now be sold to raise funds for summer signings.
His £150,000-a-week contract expires in the summer of 2022. So far, there have been no talks regarding a renewal.
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