Arsenal look likely to have a busy summer, with Nuno Tavares and Albert Sambi Lokonga both coming in already, while other big names should soon follow.
The Gunners had a nightmare season in 2020/21, so it’s unsurprising to see Mikel Arteta ringing the changes, with players likely to continue to move in and out of the Emirates Stadium in the weeks ahead.
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It’s not clear if Arsenal will get all the business done that they want to, particularly with some difficult choices to be made in some departments.
Read on as we look at nine members of this AFC squad whose future is far from clear, whilst giving our verdict on whether the club should look to keep, sell, or loan them…
Hector Bellerin
A fine servant to Arsenal for a number of years now, but it’s fair to say Hector Bellerin hasn’t really developed into the player he looked like he could’ve been.
The Spanish right-back was superb when he first burst onto the scene as a youngster, but injuries have held him back in recent years and it’s hard to imagine Arsenal couldn’t do a little better in that area of the pitch.
If he stays, he could bounce back and be a success, but for now we’re saying SELL could be the best for all parties here.
Alexandre Lacazette
A decent player on his day, but Alexandre Lacazette hasn’t won everyone over in his time at the Emirates Stadium.
Time is surely running out for the Gunners to sell him for anything like a decent fee, so is it likely to be something they pursue, or is he worth keeping around as a squad player for a little longer.
It’s not an easy call, but based on the lack of transfer gossip surrounding the Frenchman, we expect Arsenal will KEEP him for the time being.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles
This is another tricky one, with Ainsley Maitland-Niles clearly a useful squad player due to his versatility, but he may well feel he wants to move on.
It’s hard to imagine the 23-year-old is likely to become a regular starter any time soon, but Arsenal might also do well to avoid losing him permanently.
The simple solution, in theory, would be to LOAN Maitland-Niles out, with Arteta then getting the opportunity to look at him again after another season in which he can play more and gain experience at the highest level.
Mohamed Elneny
Mohamed Elneny had some fine moments in Arsenal’s midfield last season, but it’s fair to say he still looks just a little short of being good enough to play regularly for a club with the north Londoners’ ambitions.
It could be that AFC would be tempted to cash in on the Egypt international if the right offer comes along, but there are also others who might be shown the door first, with Matteo Guendouzi going out on loan, while Granit Xhaka and Lucas Torreira also seem unlikely to have a long-term future at the club.
In which case, Arsenal should probably KEEP Elneny for now, even if he has less of a role in the starting XI than he did last term.
Joe Willock
After a hugely impressive loan spell at Newcastle last season, Joe Willock has surely done enough to get a place in the Arsenal team in 2021/22.
Unfortunately, it’s not that simple, with the 21-year-old facing plenty of competition for a place in midfield, so don’t bet against another loan move for him.
If it were up to us, though, it seems pretty obvious Arsenal should KEEP Willock and give him more of a chance to show that he can bring his Newcastle form with him into Arteta’s side.
Eddie Nketiah
A clinical finisher, but perhaps a bit of a limited player overall. While we expect Eddie Nketiah could have a decent Premier League career ahead of him, it’s perhaps more likely to be at a mid-table club rather than a team who will be eager to push themselves back into the running for the top four.
The fact is, Arsenal also have a long list of attacking players who are surely ahead of Nketiah in the pecking order, with Gabriel Martinelli and Folarin Balogun surely set to play more in the new season.
That’s why we think the Gunners are surely going to SELL this talented homegrown player this summer.
Calum Chambers
A decent utility player who seems happy enough to be a backup, there seems little reason to get rid of Calum Chambers.
Of course, if offers come in for him (which doesn’t seem to be on the horizon for the moment), then one imagines Arsenal would sell for the right price.
Chambers as a role to play in this squad over the course of a long season, though, so we expect they’ll KEEP the former Southampton defender this summer.
Willian
A hugely disappointing signing on a free from Chelsea last year, Willian already looks like someone who could make way at the Emirates Stadium this summer.
The Brazilian only scored one goal for Arsenal last season, which came from a free-kick, and his place in the team is probably blocking the likes of Martinelli from coming more often and getting a chance to stake their claim.
If Arsenal can find a willing buyer, they should surely SELL this guy.
Reiss Nelson
Once a big prospect at Arsenal, Reiss Nelson just hasn’t developed as many would have hoped or expected, and it seems fairly likely he could move on this summer.
The 21-year-old, like Nketiah, just seems a bit too limited in his playing style, and would probably be more comfortable playing regularly for a team slightly further down the Premier League table.
It wouldn’t be too surprising to see a loan first, but we think Arsenal should look to SELL Nelson if possible.