Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon secured another second-place Premier League finish for the Gunners.
That makes it three years in a row that Mikel Arteta’s side have finished runners-up as their wait to be crowned champions of England will go into a 22nd season when the new campaign begins in August.
In order to get over the line and shed this burgeoning ‘always the bridesmaid’ label, Arsenal will now gear up for a busy summer transfer window.
Arteta confirms four players to leave Arsenal this summer, with a fifth down as a maybe
While the club’s pursuit of a new striker will take centre stage in the market this summer, Arteta is also braced for a host of departures, confirming after the victory over the Magpies that up to five players could be on their way out this summer.
“We have to be very smart with the decisions that we take,” the Spaniard said when asked about the summer window in his post-match press conference.
“Obviously we need players because the squad is really short, and on top of that, we are losing four or five players that end their contracts and their loans are finished. So we need to be sharp, again very disciplined in what we want to do and make sure that we are strong in the season.”
mong those set to depart are Jorginho and Kieran Tierney, who are in the final weeks of their contract and both came off the bench in the closing stages against Newcastle to get a final Emirates farewell: transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has confirmed in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that the former will move to Flamengo in his native Brazil, while Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has confirmed Tierney’s return to the Bhoys.
“We had a few in the dressing room that is probably is going to be the last time that they put that shirt on at Emirates Stadium,” Arteta said when asked about the midfielder and left-back who are set to leave. “I’ve been there and make sure that we are close to them, and I’m very grateful to them as well.”
In terms of loan players, Raheem Sterling and Neto are set to return to their respective parent clubs of Chelsea and Bournemouth.
Sterling turned out 16 times in the Premier League for Arsenal following his deadline day loan move, while back-up goalkeeper Neto played just twice in the team’s league campaign.
While that quartet are all readying their exit, Arsenal have entered talks with Thomas Partey over a new contract, as per The Athletic.
The Ghana international’s current deal also expires this summer, and is said to be ‘open’ to a new two-year deal, or a one-season offer with an option to extend for another campaign, although the report adds he will ‘consider alternative options’ in case an agreement cannot be struck.
FourFourTwo understands that Partey is one of the highest-earning players in the Gunners’ squad, and may well have to take a pay cut with the imminent arrival of Martin Zubimendi.
