Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the % game.
With the transfers window now open and in an attempt to take my mind off the upcoming FA Cup Final against Chelsea, I tried to assess the current squad and see how many chances each player has to still be at the Club, next season.
It will be a strange window, unlike any other before, both because of our financial struggles and the complexity of the current market, much drier than it has ever been, in terms of cash.
Only few Clubs will have huge resources to spend and I don’t expect the usual amount of deals agreed and money spent, so I feel we won’t be seeing many changes – whether we like it or not.
Below you will find my thoughts on our current players, can’t wait to hear yours.
100%
Players not for sale which will definitely be there past October, 6th
100% the future
Bukayo Saka: our own prodigy just penned a 4-years deal and will be integral to the team. In which role, though?
Gabriel Martinelli: same as Saka, he will hope to keep impressing, once he recovers from his knee injury
Pablo Marí: signed in January, he will have a chance to prove himself once he’s fit again
Cédric Soares: signed a long-term deal after being released by Southampton, he will be a valuable squad player
David Luiz: had his contract extended for another season, not going anywhere. Hopefully will improve his consistency
William Saliba: the new boy will try to claim a place in the starting XI despite his young age
Bernd Leno: top performer with Auba, a mainstay between the posts despite Martínez’s emergence
Kieran Tierney: Arteta is a big fan of the tough Scotsman and so are we, one of the few reliable defenders we have
Nicolas Pépé: last summer’s marquee signing, had a promising debut season and will build on that, hopefully
80%
Players very likely to still be here, whether we want it or not
Unsellables?
Héctor Bellerín: currently alternating good and bad performances, it will take a mega-offer for him to go
Mesut Özil: he’s going nowhere and will see out his contract. It will require some convincing (£££) to move him on
Shkodran Mustafi: might have been sold but now he’s injured until after the window closes. Could get a new deal
Calum Chambers: recovering from a knee injury, will try to establish himself once for all, next season
Joe Willock: might be loaned but can’t see him leaving permanently. Still very young and a valuable option off the bench
Granit Xhaka: his recovery after the bust-up with the fans has been sensational but might go if the right offer comes in
Reiss Nelson: needs to do more, he will challenge Pépé for the RW spot and get minutes in the FA Cup
Eddie Nketiah: Arteta is hyping him up and with Laca and Auba futures up in the air, we will need him.
60%
Players that will go if the right opportunity comes in but won’t be pushed away
Ainsley Maitland-Niles: his versatility is an asset but I feel the Club will cash in if someone shows a concrete interest
Emiliano Martínez: Could challenge Leno for the #1 shirt but his contract expires in 2022, it’s either renewal or sale
Alexandre Lacazette: His time in London seems to be up, but it depends on Auba. Could be used in a swap deal
40%
Players likely to go, even for offers below market value
A face who no longer fits
Sead Kolašinac: Simply not up to the standards set by Arteta, the Club will look at a nice capital gain and reinvest
Sokratis Not very willing to go, apparently, but not happy to sit on the bench. Will be offloaded, eventually
Lucas Torreira: His profile doesn’t fit Arteta style, the Club might be sell for a fee higher or equal to the one paid
Mattéo Guendouzi: can’t see him getting back from his out-of-favour status, will go for the right money
20%
Players whose future most certainly is away from north London, in different ways
Sellable Asset?
Matt Macey: At 25, he simply has to go – even for free
Mohamed Elneny: Has no future in London, he will go out on loan again if no offers come in
Rob Holding: with so many centre-backs available, he seems to be the one who will be sacrificed.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: the big question mark over our future, my gut feeling is that he will go, eventually. Arteta seems optimistic but the only real hope to see him stay is a win in the FA Cup final and a place in the Europa League. Even if we pull it off in Wembley, his renewal is far from being guaranteed due to our economical restrictions.
..and you What do you think?
Italian living in Switzerland, Gooner since mid-nineties, when the Gunners defeated my hometown team, in Copenhagen. I started my own blog and podcast (www.clockenditalia.com) after after some experiences with Italian websites and football magazines. Covering Arsenal Women with the occasional rant about the boys.
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