Arsenal news: Eight players at risk of summer exit as manager issues Ethan Nwaneri update
Mikel Arteta and Arsenal are in pole position in the Premier League title race but could have tough decisions to make in the summer transfer window.
Ethan Nwaneri and Martin Odegaard named in report on potential Arsenal sales(Image: Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
After momentum in the title race in midweek, Arsenal’s attention now turns to the FA Cup. The 2020 winners face League One side Mansfield Town, who will be hoping to pull off another giant massacre after upsetting Sheffield United and Burnley away.
Wednesday night was potentially huge for the Gunners in the league. They beat Brighton at the Amex Stadium thanks to an early goal from Bukayo Saka, while nearest challengers Manchester City dropped points at home to struggling Nottingham Forest.
With eight games remaining in the season, Mikel Arteta’s side are seven points ahead of City. Pep Guardiola’s men have a game in hand, however, as they also host Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in April.
Whatever happens between now and the end of the season, the London side may well have some work to do in the transfer window. Here is Mirror footballthe last lines in North London.
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Eight risk leaving
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is one of eight senior players who could potentially leave this summer as the Gunners look to balance the books, according to The Telegraph. The club are expected to offload at least one first-time player after spending more than £200million over the summer on Martin Zubimendi, Ebere Eze and Viktor Gyokeres.
Odegaard maintains a great reputation among the players and staff at the Emirates Stadium. However, there are indications the club may not rule out an exit given the help it would bring to the balance sheet if the £30m signing is sold for a big profit.
Youngsters Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri are among the other candidates, it has been claimed. Lewis-Skelly has fallen down the pecking order this season after an exceptional season, while Nwaneri is currently on loan at Marseille.
Forwards Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard could also find themselves in danger, with Jesus and Trossard approaching the final year of their respective contracts. The list is completed by Ben White, who has struggled to return to the first team after an injury-plagued 2024/25 season.
Nwaneri “touched” by Marseille’s difficulties
Marseille’s tricky season continued midweek with elimination from the Coupe de France. Things have not gone completely to plan for Nwaneri, on loan from Arsenal, at Stade Vélodrome, with the club having already dropped out of the Champions League and parting ways with manager Roberto De Zerbi.
Nwaneri missed the decisive penalty in a penalty shootout defeat to Toulouse in the cup quarter-finals. The match finished 2-2 after 90 minutes, with Mason Greenwood and Igor Paixao scoring for the hosts but Yann Gboho and Charlie Cresswell each equalizing.
New Marseille manager Habib Beye admitted the defeat hit Nwaneri and Leonardo Balerdi hardest after both failed from the spot. However, the Senegalese coach dismissed criticism over the decision to let Nwaneri take the fifth and final penalty.
“I won’t discuss it. I like the personality of a player who decides to take responsibility,” Beye said. “We were clear on the order of shooters (…) these two (missed players) are the most affected.”
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