Mikel Arteta has been all about the rebuilds since becoming Arsenal head coach in 2019, and his often ruthless overhauls have worked a treat, helping to belatedly turn the Gunners into Premier League title contenders once more.
The Spaniard has often shown a lack of willingness to rotate his options, though, leading to the expectation that a surfeit of unwanted names will be moved on in the summer transfer window.
Emile Smith rowe, Mohamed Elneny, Arthur Okonkwo and Cedric Soares have already had their exits confirmed, while Nuno Tavares, Karl Hein and Albert Sambi Lokonga have left on loan, and here, Sports Mole looks at every Arsenal player who could be sold this summer and rates their chances of a possible exit.
Who could Arsenal sell this summer?
Goalkeepers
Aaron Ramsdale (26yo | £21.3m | Verdict: Likely | Latest update)
Defenders
Oleksandr Zinchenko (27yo | £32.4m | Verdict: Very unlikely)
Jakub Kiwior (24yo | £25.6m | Verdict: Likely| Latest update)
Kieran Tierney (27yo | £10.3m | Verdict: Very likely | Latest update)
Takehiro Tomiyasu (25yo | £29.8m | Verdict: Unlikely | Latest update)
Midfielders
Thomas Partey (31yo | £15.4m | Verdict: Very unlikely | Latest update)
Fabio Vieira (24yo | £18.8m | Verdict: Very likely | Latest update)
Charlie Patino (20yo | £7.6m | Verdict: Very likely | Latest update)
Attackers
Reiss Nelson (24yo | £12.3m | Verdict: Very likely | Latest update)
Eddie Nketiah (25yo | £25.6m | Verdict: Very likely | Latest update)
In-depth: Who could Arsenal sell this summer?
Aaron Ramsdale
© Reuters
Age: 26
Position: Goalkeeper
Transfer value: £21.3m
Joined: August 20, 2021
Joining fee: £23.9m
Arsenal appearances: 89
Arsenal clean sheets: 32
Honours
Arteta kept faith with Aaron Ramsdale during all of the bad early press following his arrival, but fast-forward two years, and the Englishman was brutally demoted to second choice behind Brentford loanee David Raya.
As the Gunners will keep the Spaniard on the books permanently, Ramsdale is expected to force a move elsewhere in a bid to regain regular game time, whether that be in the Premier League or abroad.
The 26-year-old recently added fuel to the fire surrounding his future, claiming that he "never" wants to experience another season like 2023-24 again, further suggesting that he will soon be on the way out.
Our verdict: Very likely
Oleksandr Zinchenko
© Reuters
Age: 27
Position: Left-back
Transfer value: £32.4m
Joined: July 22, 2022
Joining fee: £29.8m
Arsenal appearances: 68
Arsenal goals: 2
Honours
Similarly to Ramsdale, Oleksandr Zinchenko also lost his status as an undisputed starter in the Arsenal XI in 2023-24 and is unlikely to regain it in 2024-25, when Jurrien Timber should become Arteta's first-choice left-back.
Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany is supposedly eyeing a Man City reunion with Zinchenko, but the Ukrainian is still an incredibly useful squad option, and it is difficult to picture him departing.
Our verdict: Very unlikely
Jakub Kiwior
© Reuters
Age: 24
Position: Centre-back/left-back
Transfer value: £25.6m
Joined: January 23, 2023
Joining fee: £16.6m
Arsenal appearances: 38
Arsenal goals: 2
Honours
Jakub Kiwior was one of the players to benefit from Zinchenko's demotion down the pecking order in the 2023-24 season, but he was not entirely comfortable at left-back and is never going to start in the centre when William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are fully fit.
Clubs in Italy are apparently keeping tabs on the situation of the former Spezia man, but at a time when Arteta is searching for new left-backs, he should not let a current one depart, especially not a versatile option like Kiwior.
A shock swap deal with Juventus midfielder Arthur - once of Liverpool - has been mooted, but it is virtually impossible to picture such a deal materialising in the coming weeks.
Our verdict: Unlikely
Thomas Partey
© Reuters
Age: 31
Position: Midfielder
Transfer value: £15.4m
Joined: October 5, 2020
Joining fee: £42.6m
Arsenal appearances: 115
Arsenal goals: 5
Honours
Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey is due to become a free agent in the summer of 2025 and has been blighted by injuries during his five years in North London, but he was a first XI regular in the closing stages of the 2023-24 season.
However, a renewal is seemingly out of the question due to his fitness struggles, and Arsenal should not be averse to appropriate bids amid talk of a possible switch to the Saudi Pro League.
A fee of £30m would supposedly be enough for Arsenal to consider parting ways with the midfielder, whom they are seemingly willing to take a financial hit on.
Our verdict: Likely
Emile Smith Rowe
© Reuters
Age: 23
Position: Attacking midfielder
Transfer value: £18.8m
Joined: 2010
Joining fee: Free
Arsenal appearances: 115
Arsenal goals: 18
Honours
The struggles of academy graduate Emile Smith Rowe have been painful for Gooners to witness, as the Englishman was tipped to enjoy success at Arsenal for years to come after hitting double figures in Premier League goals for 2021-22.
However, the 23-year-old is now a peripheral figure for Arteta, and given his status as a home-grown player, his sale would go down as pure profit, so bids should be considered for the Fulham and West Ham United-linked man.
Our verdict: Likely
Fabio Vieira
© Reuters
Age: 24
Position: Attacking midfielder
Transfer value: £18.8m
Joined: July 1, 2022
Joining fee: £29.8m
Arsenal appearances: 49
Arsenal goals: 3
Honours
Fabio Vieira also found himself on the fringes of the Arsenal team in the 2023-24 season, and it has been alleged that the 24-year-old's underwhelming performances in training were a big factor in his lack of game time.
As a result, it is not impossible to envisage Vieira being moved on - Monaco are apparently keen to strike a loan deal - but he should not take his leave if Smith Rowe is sold as expected.
Our verdict: Unlikely
Reiss Nelson
© Reuters
Age: 24
Position: Right winger
Transfer value: £12.8m
Joined: 2007
Joining fee: Free
Arsenal appearances: 89
Arsenal goals: 8
Honours
After signing a new four-year deal last summer, Reiss Nelson's apparent promises of more game time did not come to fruition, and he was often omitted from matchday squads entirely in the 2023-24 campaign.
The academy graduate should therefore be one of the first names out of the exit door this summer amid links with Brighton & Hove Albion, although his recent renewal at least means that Arsenal can obtain a decent fee for his services.
The most recent developments suggest that Nelson has asked Arsenal to be allowed to assess any transfer opportunities that arise this summer, as Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, Fulham and West Ham United scrap it out to prise him away from the Emirates.
Our verdict: Very likely
Eddie Nketiah
© Reuters
Age: 25
Position: Striker
Transfer value: £25.6m
Joined: July 1, 2015
Joining fee: Free
Arsenal appearances: 168
Arsenal goals: 38
Honours
Striker Eddie Nketiah has been a good servant to Arsenal for the past nine years, but he has never established himself as the Gunners' first-choice centre-forward and is now third fiddle behind Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus.
The England international could still come good for a mid-table Premier League club, though, and he is another home-grown product expected to end his lengthy association with the club in the coming weeks.
Our verdict: Very likely
Kieran Tierney
© Reuters
Age: 27
Position: Left-back
Transfer value: £10.2m
Joined: August 8, 2019
Joining fee: £23m
Arsenal appearances: 124
Arsenal goals: 5
Honours
Kieran Tierney has just completed a mixed loan spell with Real Sociedad, where fitness issues plagued him once again, and he no longer fits into Arteta's system since the switch to an inverted left-back.
Consequently, the Scotsman has conceded that he is unlikely to play for the club again, and a departure is surely imminent, despite his previous status as a fan favourite in North London.
Tierney's future could be resolved soon due to Scotland's early Euros elimination, although the serious injury he suffered in Germany might scupper some of his potential exit routes.
Our verdict: Very likely
Ben Knapton
