Wenger prepares for summer squad cull.
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Arsenal transfer news
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is reportedly ready to offload as many as six first-team players from his squad this summer, with suggestions that he is hoping to be rid of some players in the next few weeks.
Having already signed Petr Cech from Chelsea this week (as confirmed on their official site), it now seems Arsenal’s main order of business will be to get rid of the players they don’t neeed before making any other moves.
Reports in The Sun today name these six players as among those who have no future at the Emirates Stadium:
1) Lukas Podolski
Loaned out to Inter Milan for the second half of last season, Lukas Podolski is one of the names on the list, with the German international not reaching his top form after a promising first season with the Gunners. Now past his best, the 30-year-old has plenty of competition ahead of him that will surely keep him out of the starting lineup from now on. Galatasaray are mentioned by The Sun as the leading contenders to snap him up.
2) Yaya Sanogo
Despite joining as a highly rated young striker, Yaya Sanogo has only one Arsenal goal to his name in two seasons in north London. The Frenchman has also performed poorly in a loan spell with Crystal Palace, and is surely not going to have much of a chance to compete with the likes of Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck for a place up front next season.
3) Carl Jenkinson
Loaned out to West Ham United last season, Carl Jenkinson faces increasing competition for the right-back spot at Arsenal, with Hector Bellerin’s impressive displays now putting him as another option alongside Mathieu Debuchy and Calum Chambers for the role. Despite being a decent talent, the England defender is now surely set for the axe this summer.
4) Mathieu Flamini
No longer of the required standard, Mathieu Flamini did not feature a great deal in 2014/15, with youngster Francis Coquelin now firmly ahead of him in the pecking order. Despite being an experienced member of the squad with something to offer in the dressing room, Flamini’s presence on the pitch has diminished and it makes sense that he should be sold.
5) Joel Campbell
Another failed young forward, Joel Campbell has not lived up to the hype at Arsenal and didn’t particularly catch the eye on loan at Villarreal last season either, making it unlikely that he could get in ahead of the vast options the Gunners currently have in attack.
6) David Ospina
Finally, in a somewhat harsh move, it looks like Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina will also be sold in this clear out, with Wenger’s move for Cech meaning there is now a surplus of shot-stoppers at the club, with Wojciech Szczesny set to become second choice and Ospina showing he deserves more playing time after some impressive form last season.