GUNNERS GONERS
Up to 10 stars face exit as new head scout plots revamp
ARSENAL are gearing up for one of the biggest squad overhauls in Arsene Wenger’s 21-year reign. Ten first-team players will head into the summer with their futures uncertain as newly appointed head of recruitment Sven Mislintat plans a busy summer of incomings and outgoings.
Mislintat’s knowledge of Germany, having worked with Borussia Dortmund before his arrival at Arsenal, has seen the club intensify their scouting in the Bundesliga.
Sportsmail can reveal Mainz’s Abdou Diallo and Wolfsburg’s Ohis Felix Uduokhai are two central defenders already earmarked to replace club captain Per Mertesacker, who will join Arsenal’s academy in a coaching capacity at the end of the season.
Midfielder Jean Michael Seri, at Nice, is also on the club’s radar. Barcelona made a £36million offer for the Ivory Coast international last summer when Raul Sanllehi — who has since joined Arsenal as head of football relations — was at the Nou Camp.
Alexis Sanchez is almost certain to leave the Emirates, either in next month’s transfer window or on a free in the summer.
Arsenal are keen to offload Sanchez in January, with sources claiming the Chilean is proving a disruptive figure off the field. Manchester City and Paris SaintGermain are both interested.
Arsenal are trying to prevent Mesut Ozil from running down his deal in the summer. Lyon’s Nabil Fekir, who has impressed French-based scout Gilles Grimandi, is a candidate to replace Ozil if he does decide to leave. The club are trying to convince Danny Welbeck and Aaron Ramsey to sign new long-term deals as they enter the final year of their respective contracts.
And there are major fears over whether Santi Cazorla will ever play again — let alone for Arsenal — following his latest setback from an achilles injury. The Spaniard’s existing deal expires in the summer.
Jack Wilshere, who is keen to stay, has six months left on his deal but has not been approached about an extension, leaving him free to go in June.
There are also doubts over the long-term futures of Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott, who are growing frustrated by their lack of regular first-team opportunities. Mathieu Debuchy is also likely to leave.
Wenger, meanwhile, believes fans of clubs outside the top six are pleased with goalless draws against the bigger teams, making the Premier League more defensive.
Arsenal have had 66 shots in their past three top-flight games but have scored only twice. They had 22 shots against West Ham in a 0-0 draw at the London Stadium — and almost lost the game when Javier Hernandez struck the underside of the crossbar in a rare attack late on.
‘That has changed,’ said Wenger. ‘Because first of all the crowds accept it. They start with the idea that if it’s a 0-0 it’s a good result. Or you can lose the game where you’ve had 70 per cent of the ball. It is a modern problem.’