The team of the English top club FC Arsenal is facing a radical change. The Gunners are planning to attract five new players to North London this summer, but this will require money to be generated. Among those suffering could be Mesut Özil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
The two former Bundesliga professionals are among the top earners of the club, Özil is even at the top with his weekly salary of 400,000 euros. Although the 2014 World Champion has repeatedly declared that he wants to remain loyal to Arsenal, the club bosses would like to push a sale in order to plan Özil’s salary elsewhere. Under coach Unai Emery, the ex-Schalker is no longer one of the undisputed regulars. A transfer of Özils, however, as the club bosses know, will not be an easy matter due to the high salary demands of the game designer.
According to information from Goal and SOCCERSCORE, Stephan Lichtsteiner will also leave Arsenal. The Swiss had moved from Juventus to the English capital last summer without a replacement, his contract expires after the season. Other strike candidates are the defensive forces of Shkodran Mustafi and Carl Jenkinson and midfielder Mohamed Elneny.
The retirements of Aaron Ramsey, Petr Cech and Danny Welbeck have already been decided. While Ramsey hires from Juve this summer, the Czech keeper ends his glorious career. Welbeck has not yet found a new employer.
Arsenal threatens to miss qualifying for the Champions League for the third time in a row. At the moment they are ranked fifth with 67 points. City rival Tottenham Hotspur has a game day before the end three points ahead and the much better goal ratio.
The only realistic chance of a place in the premier league is therefore to win the Europa League. The Emery side defeated FC Valencia 3-1 in the first leg of the semi-final, giving them a solid base for the return leg.
