Arsenal submitted their released list to the Premier League, which reveals they have released nine players this summer, including Per Mertesacker and Santi Cazorla. Marc Bola, Alex Crean, Aaron Eyoma. Ryan Huddart, Chiori Johnson, Hugo Keto and Tafari Moore were the other seven players on their way out.
Mertesacker has hung up his boots at the end of his contract and will become Arsenal’s new Head of Academy, while Cazorla has left in seek of first-team football after recovering from an 18-month achilles injury.
Arsenal’s released list for 2017/18
- Bola, Marc Joel
- Cazorla, Santiago
- Crean, Alexander Felix
- Eyoma, Aaron Jordan
- Huddart, Ryan David
- Johnson, Chiori
- Keto, Hugo Oliver
- Mertesacker, Per
- Moore, Tafari Lalibela
Arsenal have already made plans for Mertesacker’s absence, with Head of Recruitment Sven Mislintat making it a priority to overhaul the defence this summer – Borussia Dortmund centre-back Sokratis Papastathopoulos could be on his way to the Emirates.
The Gunners could be lacking in experience at centre-back without Mertesacker, as Laurent Koscielny could miss the start of next season through injury. It would leave Arsenal with Shkodran Mustafi, Rob Holding, Calum Chambers and Konstantinos Mavropanos.
Cazorla’s departure has also highlighted the need for a new central midfielder. Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey are yet to agree contract extensions at Arsenal and could exit this summer as a result, leaving new manager Unai Emery very short in the engine room. The Gunners are reportedly targeting Sampdoria’s Lucas Torreira among others.
Arsenal’s retained list (Premier League)
- Akpom, Chuba
- Amaechi, Xavier Casmier
- Asano, Takuma
- Aubameyang, Pierre-Emerick
- Bellerin, Hector
- Bielik, Krystian
- Bola, Tolaji (offer)
- Bramall, Cohen
- Campbell, Joel
- Cech, Petr
- Chambers, Calum
- Coyle, Trae
- Dasilva, Pelenda Joshua Tunga (offer)
- Dragomir, Vlad-Mihai (offer)
- Elneny, Mohamed Naser Elsayed
- Fortune, Yassin Enzo (offer)
- Gilmour, Charlie Ian
- Holding, Robert Samuel
- Iliev, Deyan (offer)
- Iwobi, Alex
- Jenkinson, Carl Daniel
- John-Jules, Tyreece Romayo
- Kolasinac, Sead
- Koscielny, Laurent
- Lacazette, Alexandre
- Macey, Matthew Ryan
- Maitland-Niles, Ainsley
- Martinez, Damian Emiliano
- Mavididi, Stephy Alvaro
- Mavropanos, Konstantinos
- Medley, Zechariah Joshua Henry
- Mkhitaryan, Henrikh
- Monreal, Ignacio
- Mustafi, Shkodran
- Nelson, Reiss
- Nketiah, Edward
- Nwakali, Kelechi
- Olowu, Joseph Olugbenga
- Osei-Tutu, Jordi
- Ospina, David
- Ozil, Mesut
- Perez, Lucas
- Pleguezuelo, Julio Jose
- Ramsey, Aaron James
- Reine-Adelaide, Jeff
- Sheaf, Ben
- Smith Rowe, Emile
- Tormey, Nathan Alexander
- Virginia, Joao
- Welbeck, Daniel
- Willock, Joseph George
- Wilshere, Jack Andrew (offer)
- Xhaka, Granit
- Zelalem, Gedion
Scholars
- Ballard, Daniel George (offer contract)
- Balogun, Folarin Jerry
- Barden, Daniel
- Burton, Robert (offer contract)
- Clarke, Harrison Thomas
- Daley-Campbell, Vontae
- McEneff, Jordan John
- McGuinness, Mark James
- Olayinka, Olujimi James Ayodele
- Omole, Tobi (offer contract)
- Smith, Matthew Gerrard
- Spencer-Adams, Bayli Alexander
- Swanson, Zak
- Thompson, Dominic (offer contract)
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