Arsenal had 31 senior players present in their squad at the start of the year and it is quite evident that there needs to be a squad clear out before new names can be brought in. Both the manager Mikel Arteta and Technical director, Edu, have made it clear that Arsenal will be using the January transfer window to trim the squad down before thinking about any additions. That clear out process has already begun with defenders Sead Kolasinac and William Saliba leaving the club on loan this window and many other names could be on the chopping block before deadline day.
These are 3 players who could leave Arsenal before the window closes
3. Sokratis Papastathopoulos
View this post on Instagram
Sokratis was signed from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2018 but things have not worked out for the Greek defender at Arsenal as he was left out of the senior squad list for the Premier League this season. There were reports that in the summer he was courted by the likes of PSG and other clubs around Europe but Arsenal didn’t believe any offers matched their valuation and a move away from North London did not materialise. In this window he has been linked with moves away to Genoa and Real Betis and with only 6 months left on his contract, Arsenal will be listening to offers for the defender or be open terminating his contract and let him leave on a free transfer.
2. Shkodran Mustafi
View this post on Instagram
Shkodran Mustafi has not been the most popular figure in the Emirates over the past few seasons and has often been scapegoated by fans for poor Arsenal performances. He was bought for 35 million pounds from Valencia in 2016 making him the most expensive defender Arsenal have bought, but a slew of individual errors and lapses in concentration over time means he has fallen down the pecking order at the club. Mustafi has only tasted 47 minutes of Premier League action this season and could be on his way out in January if a suitable offer arrives. The German has attracted some interest from clubs like Barcelona and is now free to talk to clubs regarding a transfer given that his Arsenal contract expires in the summer.
1. Mesut Ozil
View this post on Instagram
The long and drawn-out Arsenal and Mesut Ozil saga has finally come to a conclusion in this January transfer window. Ozil has not featured for the club since March 2020 and eyebrows were raised when the German failed to make Arsenal’s 25-man squad list for the 2020/21 season despite being the highest paid member on the team. Mikel Arteta has insisted that Ozil was not in the squad for purely footballing reasons and the Gunners have been looking to offload Ozil since the summer. Ozil joined Arsenal in the summer of 2013 from Real Madrid and managed 43 goals and 70 assists for the club across 7 and a half years. Ozil will be finally leaving the club in this window after reports suggest that his contract was terminated 6 months early by mutual consent, allowing him to sign for Turkish club Fenerbache.
[Image Credit: Arsenal]
Shivaan Shah