Out: Thomas Vermaelen
This may be a controversial one, but former fans’ favourite Thomas Vermaelen has really crumbled under the pressure of the captain’s armband this season, after taking over from the departing Robin van Persie. The Belgian defender had been a top performer for the Gunners since arriving from Ajax, showing strong defensive qualities, leadership and a decent knack for getting forward and grabbing a goal too. However, he now finds himself on the bench after a poor season and is likely to be moved on.
Strangely, Barcelona are supposedly interested in him, and Arsenal may yet be able to convince someone to take him off their hands. With a whole host of central defenders being linked with the club, it’s likely that they are already planning for life without Vermaelen.