Five players expected to see the exit at Arsenal

Folarin Balogun is one of the players expected to leave Arsenal in the summer /IMAGO

FOOTBALL Five players expected to see the exit at Arsenal

Ndyamuhaki J Emanzi 18:48 - 10.05.2023

As Arsenal looks set to challenge for titles again, there are players whose future at the club is far from guaranteed.

Arsenal's season could end with silverware or nothing to show. Having led the Premier League table for a large part of the season, the Gunners are now second behind Manchester City.

The title race is now out of their hands, but many Arsenal fans would have taken second place at the start of the season.

But as the team looks set to challenge for titles again, there are players whose future at the club is far from guaranteed.

Most of these are currently on loan but look unlikely to make it back into Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta's plans ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Arteta is no stranger to showing big names the exit, and most of the players on the fringes will know very well what to expect.

Mesut Ozil, Matteo Guendouzi and former captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are some of the high-profile exits at the Emirates since Arteta took over.

And with Arsenal set to return to the Champions League, Arteta will be expected to splash some Cash and beef up his squad.

Folarin Balogun

Balogun is an Arsenal academy graduate and is currently on loan at Ligue 1 club Reims, where he has scored 19 goals in all competitions.

The 21-year-old is desperate for first-team football, and he's unlikely to get it regularly at Arsenal next season when he returns in the summer.

Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah are both ahead of him in pecking order, and first-team football will be hard to come by.

With 19 goals, Balogun has made his case, but what are the chances he will break into the first team? Very slim.

Reiss Nelson

Nelson is out of contract in 2023.

He has made just 16 appearances in all competitions this season and is not a regular in Arteta's rotation.

Reis Nelson is one of the players expected to leave Arsenal in search of regular first-team football /IMAGO

Reports suggest Nelson has already rejected the Gunners' first offer of a new deal, leaving him free to walk in June.

Nicolas Pepe

Yes, he is still an Arsenal player. Signed for £72m, Pepe has failed to impress at Arsenal and is currently out on loan at Nice.

Nicholas Pepe is considered surplus to requirement at Arsenal /IMAGO

With just eight goals in 27 appearances, Pepe has not done enough to convince Arteta that he still has a future at the Emirates.

A move away looks inevitable for the Ivorian.

Cedric Soares

At 31, Soares is out of favour and was sent out on loan to Fulham after failing to dislodge Ben White.

Takehiro Tomiyasu looks like Arteta's favoured choice for White's deputy, and Soares will be better off leaving.

Pablo Mari

The defender has already agreed to join Monza in a permanent move from Arsenal at the end of the season after a successful loan spell with the Italian club.

The Gunners will make £4.4m from the transfer, which Arteta will likely be able to use in the market.

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