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Mikel Arteta probably spent New Year’s Eve sharpening his ax as the Arsenal chief seeks to shrink his bloated squad.
The Gunners have endured a tumultuous campaign thus far, but rather than bring in fresh faces in a bid to climb the league table, Arteta has admitted that the club’s priority is to clear the team in this January transfer window.
‘We have a great squad. We knew that. Many things that should have happened in the summer, we could not achieve them for different reasons, ” said the Spaniard before the game against West Brom.
‘There are many players who are going to be loaned. They are going to go. And that’s the priority right now because we can’t hold the numbers that we have in certain positions. We are looking to do that.
And then we will see if we have the right opportunities in the positions where we need more help. We are working with the club to try to address them. ‘
Sead Kolasinac has already returned to Schalke, but who else could come out this month? Sportsmail describes the Arsenal players who are likely to look over their shoulders.
Shkodran mustafi
It certainly has not been the fruitful period that Shkodran Mustafi would have hoped for by joining Arsenal from Valencia in a £ 35 million exchange in 2016.
Prone to catastrophic mistakes, the German has failed to win over Gunners fans and has shown little confidence in every appearance.
Mustafi, 28, was out of favor with Unai Emery, but enjoyed a rebound when Arteta took office, starting 15 of his 17 league games in charge before suffering a knee injury in July.
He has since slid down the hierarchical order and at £ 90,000 a week the club could do with cashing in before he leaves for free this summer when his contract expires.
Surprisingly, Barcelona have linked up with the defender, who formed a formidable partnership with Nicolás Otamendi with Nuno Espirito Santo at Mestalla.
Mustafi changed agents in January 2019 and is reportedly interested in moving to Italy, as his Albanian-Swiss wife’s family lives in nearby Switzerland.
Arsenal have a shortage of central defenders at the club, making it unlikely that they will look for a replacement on the market.
Mesut Ozil
Mesut Ozil, the highest profile of those on the starting list, is the persistent presence Arteta needs to loosen up if he wants to advance with the club.
In his day, it cannot be argued that the German is the most talented footballer in the club. However, the 32-year-old has been equally delighted and frustrated with his laid-back approach that often makes him an easy target among fans.
Years of sub-par performances have taken their toll and therefore playing time has taken a hit. Ozil scored just one goal last season and provided three assists in 23 appearances. The German’s exclusion from Arteta’s Premier League team almost confirmed the club’s intentions to fire the playmaker.
Former Gunners boss Emery told Sportsmail that Ozil’s attitude and levels of commitment were ‘not enough’ when he was in charge, while Arteta has said ‘I did my best, I tried to give him as many opportunities as possible. I could … I ‘I have been patient, I have given him opportunities and I have been fair.
His £ 350,000 weekly salary is an expense that has also become a millstone for the club, while Ozil’s refusal to accept a pay cut during the first lockdown is understood to have upset the club’s hierarchy. .
Ozil’s departure would free up considerable funds for the north London club and allow Arteta to return to the market for his own purposes.
Despite Ozil’s insistence on social media that he still loves the club very much and wants to play a role, it seems that a game would be favorable for all parties.
The German has interests from MLS, Turkey, Germany and Italy, but Sportsmail understands that one-play finances for the playmaker are the main obstacle.
Calum Chambers
While Ozil and Mustafi’s expected departures can be attributed to a string of disappointing performances, Calum Chambers has suffered a serious injury and needs a career boost.
The 25-year-old severely ruptured his ACL just days after Arteta was named Gunners boss and had made a good impression, seemingly suited to the Spaniard’s style of play.
But he is one of eight central defenders in the club books and has found playing time to be difficult to come by with several ahead in the pecking order and the club is careful not to rush him back too soon.
A loan, then, would be beneficial to both the player and the club. Chambers’ £ 50,000 weekly salaries are not as burdensome as Ozil’s, so the club will be willing to give the defender time to reach the potential he promised earlier in his career.
The Englishman was reportedly the target of a £ 12 million rapprochement from Fulham last summer, and a temporary switch to Scott Parker could be the launching pad Chambers needs to get back at the center of the Premier League. .
“ Now it’s about small steps, build and build and build, being patient but knowing the fact that you will go back to where you were before, ” he told the Evening Standard.
William saliba
The curious case of William Saliba. Signed from Saint-Etienne in the summer of 2019, the 19-year-old was sent back to the French club to continue his development, and the Gunners see the 2020-21 campaign as a chance to blood him in English football.
However, the coronavirus pandemic severely halted Saliba’s progress. The French season ended amid the first lockout, limiting the youngster’s playing time to just 17 appearances for his loan club.
Therefore, Arsenal had planned for the promising defender to be loaned out once again this season. But several loan movements ultimately failed and Saliba has been stuck in London Colney.
Given Arsenal’s lamentable defensive displays this season, fans have been frustrated with Arteta for not turning to the 19-year-old. The Spaniard has said he is ‘tired’ of the situation, insisting that Saliba needs his ‘transitional season’ before he gets a chance at the club.
Like Chambers, Saliba’s £ 40,000 a week salary is not a major hurdle for a club the size of Arsenal, and like Chambers, the north London club is open to loan offers for the youngster.
A temporary change to an English club would be preferable, giving the teenager a chance to get used to the rough and ready style of top-notch football.
Sokratis Papastathopoulos
Unlike Mesut Ozil, whose exclusion has been widely publicized, Sokratis has become the forgotten man at Arsenal.
Having featured heavily under Emery, as well as being used by Arteta in his first season with the club, the 32-year-old is truly frozen.
The former Borussia Dortmund defender has stayed to train and play with the under-23s having been left out of the Premier League and Europa League squads this season.
For a player who is supposed to receive £ 92,000 a week, that situation cannot last much longer. And with his contract expiring at the end of the season, the Gunners will be eager to see some kind of return on the £ 17 million they spent on him in 2018.
While Ozil has tried to make his presence known at the club with his highly active social media accounts, Sokratis has remained curiously quiet about his plight with Arsenal.
Sportsmail understands that the Greek international is attracting the interest of Napoli and Fenerbahce, the latter also looking to acquire Ozil.
Source: m.allfootballapp.com
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