Arsenal: Every player staying or going this summer

Mikel Arteta's Arsenal squad are in a strange place, going into the summer transfer market.

On the one hand, Arteta's on the cusp of having led this side to three successive second-placed finishes, with world-class quality in several areas of the squad – but on the other, the final push to turn his side from competitors into winners is the most difficult part of the project.

With new sporting director Andrea Berta in place, the Gunners are all set for another busy summer… but who's staying and going at Arsenal? Here's the full breakdown.

The Arsenal squad for 2024/25 and their current status

Goalkeepers

David Raya

The undisputed no.1 at Arsenal following his battle with Aaron Ramsdale, David Raya was sought after for a number of years before earning his permanent move last summer, following a loan stint from Brentford.

Ranked at no.5 in FourFourTwo's list of the best goalkeepers in the world right now, Raya has been excellent this season – and as the protege of Gunners goalkeeping coach Inaki Cana, he's been the model that the rest of the club has followed in revolutionising their goalkeeping department.

But while the Spanish stopper is still young in keeper years and has a contract in N5 that stretches for another three years, the club will be looking to ensure the future of the position in years to come – as shown with acquisitions of Tommy Setford and Lucas Nygaard in the academy.

That's far off, though: Arsenal will want to bring in a goalkeeper this summer aged between 21 and 25 to challenge Raya across the rest of his current contract, with a view to perhaps replacing him one day.

FourFourTwo verdict: Staying.

Neto

Neto has been there and done that, winding up at Bournemouth via Barcelona in a long career that saw the Cherries loan him to the Gunners at the start of this season as cover for Raya.

Having played once – and not particularly impressed in that fixture – a return to the South Coast looks inevitable ahead of a fresh challenge elsewhere (and perhaps his last before retirement). He's not coming back to Arsenal… is he?

The Brazilian's wages certainly suggest such: Neto's probably on the maximum that Arsenal would tolerate for a no.2 between the sticks, but he isn't at the stage of his career for the role.

Taking a pay cut to become the experienced third-choice in the ilk of Tom Heaton or Scott Carson at either Manchester club looks out of the question, too, given a lack of homegrown status. Looks like Neto's Arsenal adventure is up.

FourFourTwo verdict: Arsenal won't make this loan permanent.

Defenders

Ben White

While the view from the outside is that Ben White has been usurped by Jurrien Timber in the right-back role, the reality is a little more complex.

White underwent long overdue knee surgery earlier this season and would have challenged the Dutchman for a starting berth were it not for that, with this season used to recuperate before returning next season.

The idea is that Arsenal don't have a first-choice right-back if everyone's fit: White and Timber offer different things for different scenarios and next season, we should hopefully see the pair share minutes a lot more evenly.

Despite his limited appearances, there is no question that White is a valued member of the squad and will be next season.

FourFourTwo verdict: Staying.

Gabriel

Another of the squad's most valued members, Gabriel had been an absolute rock of the Arteta era up until an untimely hamstring injury ruled him out for the season.

The Brazilian is one of the first names on the team sheet and integral to the team's set-piece prowess. There's no question of Arteta wanting him to remain at the club: the only issue may come with his contract situation.

Gabriel's current deal expires in 2027: Saudi Pro League clubs have circled in the past and so there will be a question for Andrea Berta to answer: does he want to tie a centre-back down beyond the age of 29, or cash in where he can?

William Saliba's contract expires in 2027, too, and the Frenchman will probably be more of a priority. If Arsenal can only keep one, they'll want Saliba, so do they see Calafiori as the long-term heir to Gabriel's position? While Big Gabi won't be going anywhere just yet, watch this space.

FourFourTwo verdict: Staying for now – ahead of a potential saga in 2026…

Jakub Kiwior

Jakub Kiwior's future is the hardest to tell of any Arsenal player.

The Pole would have surely been sold last summer if the Gunners could have found a buyer and kept Takehiro Tomiyasu fit – but in remaining a member of the squad this season, Kiwior has been excellent cover.

When your team appears not to miss a key defender against Real Madrid of all clubs, a question has to be asked about whether it's really worth selling the backup, especially as he can play at left-back, too. That's the conundrum facing Arteta and Berta.

Arsenal will go into the window with the idea of addressing needs further up the pitch before looking in defence. If Kiwior wants regular minutes, though – and the Gunners receive a decent enough offer – a sale will happen, on the condition a replacement comes in.

FourFourTwo verdict: To be sold – while at his peak value – though dependent on other moves, so probably one for late in the window.

Jurrien Timber

The revelation of the season for Arsenal, Timber has bounced back from an ACL injury to become an almost ever-present in the Arsenal defence.

With such a workload comes a balance. Arteta will want to make sure White is up to speed to support Timber next season a little more, with the Dutchman able to cover across the rest of the back four, should White prove himself undroppable.

Aside from that, the question is more about when Timber will sign a long-term extension at Arsenal to put him among the club's higher earners, rather than whether Arteta will look to cash in on his excellent season.

FourFourTwo verdict: Staying.

Kieran Tierney

Kieran Tierney will be leaving Arsenal this summer, having started just one league game all season, at the time of writing – but there's no understating the role he's played.

In an injury-ravaged season across the pitch for Arteta, the Scot has come back from his own knocks and featured both at left-back and left-wing from the bench to preserve tired legs, offer experience and create chances with whipped balls: he's not complained, he's not angled for more game-time and he stayed in January to provide a vital service in the run-in.

Tierney has signed a pre-contract agreement to re-sign for Celtic, as per Sky Sports but he's confirmed his status as a cult hero in North London this season. It's a shame that he's not been playing as much as when Arteta leant on him early in his tenure – but his place in this squad has been just as important for a different reason this term.

FourFourTwo verdict: Leaving for Celtic.

Myles Lewis-Skelly

After an outstanding season, Myles Lewis-Skelly is likely to be handed a new contract along with the increased responsibility of being a first pick on the team sheet.

Still just 18 years old, MLS is probably heading for a future in midfield but has excelled at left-back: the question that remains with him now is where he plays, rather than whether he plays.

A lot of Lewis-Skelly's future in the defence may depend on Riccardo Calafiori. The teenager only really got his shot at left-back when Calafiori first picked up an injury – and it's possible that the Italian could win his space back – but if Lewis-Skelly continues to hold down this fort quite so expertly, Arteta won't see a reason to change a winning formula.

For now, Lewis-Skelly is a left-back – and the first-choice one, at that: though openings elsewhere mean that he might well move into midfield in time.

FourFourTwo verdict: Staying.

Nuno Tavares

Nuno Tavares always felt like a youngster that Arsenal simply took a punt on, rather than a future superstar destined for Arteta's first team.

And so it's turned out as such, with the Basque boss moving to inverted full-backs in 2022, rendering the Portuguese's Arsenal career in a limbo that's been going on for three years and three separate loan spells, at Marseille, Nottingham Forest and now Lazio.

Now 25, Tavares has impressed Lazio enough that he'll end up there this summer barring a massive change in circumstances, bringing in a minimal fee for the Gunners and closing a chapter that feels like it should have ended much sooner.

A good player – but sadly never the quality to affect the Gunners' first-team thinking, long-term.

FourFourTwo verdict: Leaving, after a successful loan spell with Lazio.

Oleksandr Zinchenko

Oleksandr Zinchenko was key to Arteta's system change when he signed in 2022 but the writing has been on the wall for a while now with both Lewis-Skelly and Calafiori ahead of him in the pecking order, and Tierney picked ahead of him at times this term.

There's a case that Zinchenko might not be trusted enough defensively at left-back anymore, with the Ukrainian's most recent appearances coming as a backup to Martin Odegaard: it's hard to believe that there's any kind of future there beyond the end of the season, however.

Zinchenko has been a good servant to Arsenal but the time has surely come for a move with just a year left on his contract – and this is one that Andrea Berta will be judged on: can he extract good value from this player, or will the 28-year-old see out his deal in the shadows before leaving for free, like so many before him?

Borussia Dortmund were said to be interested in January, but it remains to be seen who'll come in for the star this time around.

FourFourTwo verdict: To be sold.

Riccardo Calafiori

It may be harsh to actually say out loud but Riccardo Calafiori has had a disappointing season, all things told.

Yes, he's had to adapt to a new country. Yes, he scored a corker against Manchester City. And yes, it's not his fault that he's been hampered with injury problems while trying to get up to speed with the Premier League.

But Arsenal will pray that he follows Timber's lead (recovering for a storming second season) rather than Tomiyasu's (struggling to stay fit for swathes of his Arsenal career). The injuries are a major worry – and it could be a season-defining decision this summer to let Kiwior go, if Arsenal can't rely on Calafiori.

So long as he can stay fit, he'll become a valued member of the side, whether he's starting ahead of Lewis-Skelly or playing a squad role: so let's not write him off yet.

FourFourTwo verdict: Staying.

Takehiro Tomiyasu

Takehiro Tomiyasu has played just once all season and won't be back in an Arsenal shirt until October at the earliest.

Mostly worringly, the Japanese international has never played over 22 league games in any of his three seasons prior to this campaign: he simply can't be relied on as a starter and with his contract expiring next summer, it's very unlikely that he'll earn a long-term extension to his deal right now.

Luckily, Tomiyasu's versatility makes him the perfect depth player for next season and beyond, if he can just fix his knee issues and be available consistently. Do that during the 2025/26 run-in, and he may earn a short-term extension, which could save his Arsenal career.

The focus has to be on the here and now rather than looking any further than that, with the player himself surely just wanting to get back and enjoy his football.

FourFourTwo verdict: Staying.

William Saliba

William Saliba is one of three players that Arsenal would surely offer a lifetime contract to if they could – the other two being Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice.

The Frenchman has been exemplary since breaking into the team in 2022 and with Real Madrid circling, Arsenal will have a huge decision to make at some point: this is a £100m player that the club won't want to wave goodbye to on a free transfer, like Liverpool will with Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Next summer looks like the key one for central defence – with Gabriel's deal also up in 2027 – but for now, it seems unthinkable that Arsenal will cash in on Saliba or Gabriel. Especially after failing to win the title once more.

Expect rumours about contract extensions over the coming months.

FourFourTwo verdict: Staying, with a potential transfer saga next summer.

Midfielders

Albert Sambi Lokonga

Albert Sambi Lokonga slots into the same category as Nuno Tavares: a calculated investment on a young player who could well have become the next big thing – only for the player to find himself surplus to requirements and get shipped out on successive loans.

Lokonga's story is a little more complex than Tavares', actually, with the Belgian a natural no.8 who was crowbarred into more of a defensive midfield berth by Arteta to little effect – and with the midfield facing serious re-shaping this season, it opens the question as to whether Lokonga could return and fight for a place.

An optimist would certainly hope so, as at his best, he's tailor-made for the left-sided centre-midfield spot – though that's not what reality has suggested over recent seasons.

After struggling with fitness as much as form since signing for Arsenal, Lokonga will almost certainly be flogged come the summer after a season with Sevilla – to the Andalusians or otherwise.

FourFourTwo verdict: Leaving this summer, one way or another.

Declan Rice

Declan Rice became Arsenal's record signing when he joined: the question around him isn't so much as to whether he's staying but more as to where he plays.

The England man started his Gunners career deepest in the midfield but has played more this season in a box-to-box role: the possible arrival of Martin Zubimendi suggests he'll be doing more of the latter, though, going forward.

Still, with a new forward expected this summer, too, there's scope for Rice to sit at the base of a midfield with Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard ahead, as has been the pattern at times under Arteta… and will Lewis-Skelly get a shot in midfield next season at some point, too?

However the rest of the XI is calibrated, Rice is a non-negotiable in the starting line-up.

FourFourTwo verdict: Staying, as the fulcrum of this side.

Ethan Nwaneri

Arteta has been cautious to throw Ethan Nwaneri in at the deep end. He opted for a system change of sorts when Martin Odegaard was injured earlier this season, and only gave Nwaneri an extended run in the side as a replacement for Bukayo Saka, after the winger suffered a hamstring tear.

Nwaneri is still just 18 and his development needs to be monitored – but with a new contract on the horizon and reinforcements to be made in attack, we should see the teenager given the role next season that his manager truly intended.

The starlet is Odegaard's long-term deputy in midfield rather than a right-winger and will likely play there more next season: how often he plays will depend on his ability to seize the opportunity.

With Nwaneri in the ascendency and Odegaard struggling this term, perhaps a changing of the guard might happen sooner than we imagine. Watch this space.

FourFourTwo verdict: Staying.

Fabio Vieira

When Fabio Vieira was sent on loan to Porto at the start of the season, it signalled a few things: it was either a huge vindication of Arteta's trust in Ethan Nwaneri, a suggestion that Odegaard would have no problem playing the majority of minutes… or a little of both.

Equally, no buy clause was inserted in the deal, suggesting that Arsenal wanted to get the Portuguese up to speed and have him back in the fold for next season. That may be wishful thinking, however.

While Arsenal could do with a little more creativity, it's hard to see Arteta welcoming Vieira back as a serious option to compete with Nwaneri and Odegaard – and based on previous scenarios, the only chance that the Portuguese would have of sticking around next season would be if he gets an injury between now and the transfer window closing that prevents him from getting a move.

With the club entering a new era with Andrea Berta, too, the new sporting director may be less forgiving than Edu Gaspar was when it comes to deadwood. Arsenal will surely look to move Vieira on and recoup as much as they can after spending £35m on him.

FourFourTwo verdict: To be sold.

Jorginho

Jorginho signed a one-year extension last year after becoming pivotal during the run-in – but now, a year older, it's been Thomas Partey in midfield alongside Declan Rice instead, this term.

Arteta likes to have three no.6s to choose from, keeping Mohamed Elneny for a long time as a fall-back option for experience in his midfield – and the Basque would surely love to keep Jorginho around for that role once more.

But with rumours circling in January that Brazilian clubs wanted to tempt the former Chelsea man back to the nation of his birth, it appears that his time at Arsenal may well be coming to a close.

Jorginho could well return in a coaching capacity one day – but for now, it looks as though the story ends here.

FourFourTwo verdict: Leaving on a free.

Martin Odegaard

This is an interesting one: a year ago, you'd have said that Martin Odegaard was utterly untouchable in the Arsenal team.

12 months later, after a season in which he's struggled, a ruthless eye may look at him as Arsenal's Philippe Coutinho: a player that the club could move on for huge money before reinvesting that into the missing pieces that are preventing Arteta from winning a huge prize.

Comments from Arteta that he puts his captain “on a pedestal” imply that a sale is completely out of the question – but circumstances may align next season for Odegaard's exit to look a little clearer in 2026. Zubimendi joining would relieve the Norwegian of build-up responsibilities: Nwaneri is projected to reach the top, remember, and should Andrea Berta look to raise capital, Arsenal could be persuaded to sell their skipper as one of the more expendable of their considerable talismanic figures.

It's not a scenario that will likely play out within the coming weeks – and Ben White's re-introduction against Ipswich recently certainly showed Odegaard back to his best – but don't be surprised if Arsenal's reliance on their leader dwindles further over time.

FourFourTwo verdict: Staying.

Max Dowman

If Arsenal were allowed, they would surely have handed Max Dowman a debut already.

The 2009-born star has already skipped too many age groups this season for him to be eligible for a Premier League appearance – but there is certainly scope for him to be included on the fringes of the Gunners squad next season, just as Nwaneri was before him.

It's unlikely that Dowman will play more than 10 minutes in the league here or there, unless something drastic happens but an introduction is likely – especially in the cups.

Appearances on the bench in the league may become the norm for the star, too, who won't turn 16 until this December. Remember the name (and accept it as a reason that Florian Wirtz won't be signing any time soon).

FourFourTwo verdict: Being integrated next season on the fringes of the first-team squad.

Mikel Merino

A signing that some questioned at the start of the season, Mikel Merino has more than proven his worth in a way that no one expected.

Arsenal will almost certainly sign a no.9 in the summer, putting an end to the Basque's reign up front, which has proved surprisingly fruitful – and back, he'll go, into midfield: he was most likely signed as both the Thomas Partey replacement a year early (on the acceptance that the Ghanaian had failed to stay fit prior to this season) and because there was no no.9 option that Arsenal desperately wanted last summer, with Havertz continuing up front and Merino playing the midfield role intended for Havertz.

As a rotational option to play either instead of Rice and next to him, depending on who else plays where, Merino is a solid squad presence – and should Zubimendi join, Arsenal will be reuniting two former team-mates from Real Sociedad, too, which may well have been the idea all along.

Don't rule out seeing Merino at centre-back in a crisis, either: he's pretty suited to the role as much as he is a centre-forward.

FourFourTwo verdict: Staying.

Thomas Partey

He's out of contract in June – but with The Athletic reporting that Arsenal will approach Thomas Partey over a new deal, the Ghanaian could well be extending his stay at the Emirates Stadium with a year-long deal with an option for another.

Yet there are plenty of reasons why Arsenal won't – and shouldn't – keep Partey around, despite his increased importance to Arteta's XI this season.

Arsenal's watertight defence of last season has looked nowhere near as impenetrable with Partey in place of Jorginho, with lapses in concentration costing the team dearly both in midfield and at right-back – and Arsenal have picked up just 12 out of 27 league points when Partey's played in the latter role. Yes, he's put in some good performances this season but prior to this term, he's been completely unreliable with fitness issues marring his time at the club: can Arsenal tie themselves to another season or two of such wild and expensive unpredictability?

Now 31 and one of the club's highest earners, it makes perfect sense to part with Partey, not least because Zubimendi (if he joins) would offer a dynamic more akin to the more successful double-pivot of Rice and Jorginho. Despite the recent talks, though, Arsenal will likely release the midfielder on a free transfer unless he settles for a reduced deal… and it's hard to imagine that happening right now.

FourFourTwo verdict: Could go either way right now.

Attackers

Bukayo Saka

Arsenal's biggest priority off the pitch is getting Bukayo Saka tied to a longer contract.

The Starboy may well become the club's biggest earner if he does, and he remains the most important player both on the pitch and when it comes to the club's image.

The goal for Saka over the coming months is to recover from his hamstring surgery and kick on to become the undisputed best right-winger in world football: there may well be a conversation to be had over time about whether he becomes a midfielder but for now, he's the first name on the team sheet.

Arsenal would sooner sell the entire squad than Saka, surely – and so would the fans. FourFourTwo understands a new deal is close to completion.

FourFourTwo verdict: Staying.

Gabriel Jesus

Had Gabriel Jesus not suffered a devastating season-ending ACL injury in January, there would surely be reason to suggest that he may well be looking to move on this summer.

The Brazilian transformed Arsenal when he joined in 2022 but after consistent setbacks, there's a fear that he may never be the same player ever again: right now, the focus is on recovering and returning to some level of consistency ahead of what will surely be yet another big star leaving on a free transfer, come 2027.

But hey, this one might suit Arsenal: Jesus is still the club's vice-captain, offering versatility in attack, experience and an ability to get the best out of others that no one else in the frontline can. Having this kind of quality as a rotational, sixth-choice attacker is absolutely fine: he just can't be relied on beyond that.

The days of the Gunners' medium-sized Gabi as a starting no.9 are over – but the consolation isn't so bad, assuming Arsenal strengthen this summer.

FourFourTwo verdict: Staying.

Gabriel Martinelli

Gabriel Martinelli is in a similar boat to Martin Odegaard: what they offer Arsenal cannot be measured purely in output, with Arteta adoring Little Gabi for his work-rate as much as his ability in the final third.

The no.11 has had a good season but isn't untouchable in this side – and hasn't been for a while. He's slightly further down the path than Odegaard in that he's not been a sure-fire starter over the last two seasons… and because of that, Arsenal would surely listen to offers upwards of £60m for a player who counts as homegrown.

That's not to say he's for sale, though. Arsenal have far bigger problems than Martinelli and the goal for this summer will be to sign someone to compete with the Brazilian, rather than replace him.

Martinelli was projected to be as good as Saka when they both burst into the team – and though he's not quite there yet, he's still one of the better left-wingers in world football and still only 23: he may yet step up a gear and become undroppable.

FourFourTwo verdict: Staying… unless a huge offer comes in.

Kai Havertz

What seemed like an opportunistic signing at the time, Kai Havertz has taken Arsenal to another level in big games, thanks to his ability to combine facets of being a target man and a false nine.

The German is still Arsenal's highest earner and their first-choice striker but this season, it's become ever more apparent that he needs supplementing with a more natural goalscorer, whether that sees Havertz move into midfield, rotate with another big name or Martinelli is demoted to a backup.

That depends largely on who Arsenal sign. In the unlikely event that it's Alexander Isak, Havertz will likely move to midfield again, playing up front with Isak wide in bigger games – though right now, it seems more likely that a figure of Viktor Gyokeres or Ollie Watkins signs, to essentially job-share with Havertz at no.9.

Havertz will still get plenty of game-time, though we'll likely see less of him at centre-forward next season, even if he is primarily the first-choice centre-forward.

FourFourTwo verdict: Staying.

Leandro Trossard

With around 30 goals in around 120 appearances across two-and-a-half seasons, it appears that Leandro Trossard's time at Arsenal could be wrapped up this summer – and for under £30m, it's been a massive success.

Trossard over-performed last season and has under-performed this, with Martinelli preferred out on the left and Merino preferred up front – the latter a nail in the Belgian's Gunners career, considering how he played as a false nine for Arteta when he first signed in January 2023.

Now 30 and on a wage that could easily be bettered by some of Europe's giants, Trossard is a prime candidate to be sold this summer, with Arteta needing three things in attack: transitional threat, creativity and dominance in the final third.

Trossard doesn't solve any of that, unfortunately. Arsenal have evolved beyond him and look to be upgrading with two new forwards.

FourFourTwo verdict: To be sold.

Raheem Sterling

It's hard to quantify the impact that Raheem Sterling has actually had on Arsenal – because on the one hand, having a presence of that experience and standing in the English game has been incredible for the youngsters who have burst into this team.

On the other hand, Sterling wanted to re-establish himself as an England regular and return to his best while in N5 – and has ended up leapfrogged in the pecking order by a teenager and a defensive midfielder in Arteta's three-man attack.

Chelsea have covered the wages this season but surely won't again, and with Arteta already having Gabriel Jesus on the sidelines as his sixth-choice attacker for depth, there's surely no place anymore for Sterling.

Sadly, it's just not worked out for the England man: he was an opportunity that hasn't paid off and it would be intriguing to know whether Arteta would have stuck with Reiss Nelson, after all, were he to make his choice again.

FourFourTwo verdict: Arsenal won't make this loan permanent.

Reiss Nelson

Yes, Reiss Nelson is still an Arsenal player (just).

The winger was on the verge of an exit in 2023 when he fired that famous last-minute winner against Bournemouth – but Arteta just couldn't give up on a man who he'd backed his entire tenure to come good. Surely, the time has come now.

Nelson has spent much of the season injured while on loan at Fulham and will be looking to get his career kick-started again at a pivotal age in which he'll be hoping to make good on the potential he showed as a wonderkid.

He'll want to play: Arsenal won't particularly want to keep paying his wages. A move is in the best interests of all parties, one way or another.

FourFourTwo verdict: To be sold, loaned out, or to be released.

The 2025/26 Arsenal squad

At most this summer, Arsenal look to be losing Tierney, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Partey, Tavares, Lokonga, Trossard and Nelson, along with loanees Neto and Sterling: it's not exactly going to bring in a lot of money.

Arsenal have opted not to spend big across the last two windows and may have enough money for four first-team additions, plus two back-up keepers. A new striker is obviously the biggest priority, with Martin Zubimendi looking like a done deal, already.

Those two players alone, however, could wipe out as much as £130m from the budget alone: so Arsenal will have to look to be smart with some of the players they bring in this summer. Dean Huijsen has a release clause of around £50m, but can the Gunners even afford that when they have pressing issues higher up the pitch? Likewise, Nico Williams and Viktor Gyokeres may represent value for money at similar prices… but would either player have the transformative effect that this team needs in attack?

This time last year, few predicted the marquee signing would be another left-back – and the year before that, Jurrien Timber was a surprise addition when Ben White was thriving. Don't be surprised if there are twists and turns in the window yet, as the Gunners look to evolve this squad rather than opting for an overhaul.