With all the debate around incomings, one thing has not yet really been spoken about this summer – how the squad is looking in terms of numbers.
Every year, I write a State of Arsenal report. Rather than focusing on positions we need to improve on, etc, the report is takes on how many players we have in the squad, how many of these are non-home grown and how many do not require registering.
Once you get an understanding of the squad places available, you then realise how many players Arsenal could sign, what country they can come from, and who we need to sell if space is needed to be freed up.
Now this is being written on Friday 27 June, before any new players have been signed. I have excluded those players (including Thomas Partey) whose contracts are expiring on 30 June.
By now, you should know the rules. But in case you have been living under a rock for the last 20 years, here are the Premier League rules are:
* Teams may register up to 25 players
* No more than 17 “non-home grown” players may be registered
* You do not need to register Under-21 players who been born on or after 1 January 2004.
So what does Arsenal’s squad look like?
[](https://shewore.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/image-10.png)
Now what is interesting straight off the bat is just how small the Arsenal squad is right now.
Including Miles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri, who do not need to be registered as they are U21, we have a first team squad of 23. This increases to 24 if you include teenage keeper Tommy Setford. However, only 21 players need to be registered.
This is further proof as to why the likes of Kepa (2nd choice keeper), Christian Norgaard (4th choice midfielder) and Cristhian Mosquera (Saliba back up) are essential signings this summer.
Whilst they might not be the big names some were after, and none are the forwards we need, they were signings we needed to make.
Those 3, alongside Martin Zubimendi, will take our squad to 27 players (I have excluded Setford as he is 4th choice keeper). 25 of whom will be registered.
That leaves us no more room for a new left winger or striker. We would also be bang on the non-home grown requirement. However we need to factor in outgoings.
Oleksandr Zinchenko and Riess Nelson are two players that are very obviously “surplus to requirements”. I think we would all be surprised if either of them pull on an Arsenal shirt next season.
Just those two sales bring us back down to 23 registered players. However, with only Zinchenko departing as a non-home grown player, we would only have one free space on that side of the squad.
That would mean of the striker and winger we need, one would have to be home grown – which is why the links with Eberechi Eze are perhaps popping up. The alternative is we sell further players, or do not register than.
Albert Sambi Lokonga is another who will likely be told to look for a new club (once Norgaard is signed), whilst Fabio Vieira is another that will likely depart. One of these two departin will clear the space for us to sign a striker and winger from whichever country we like.
On top of that, you have Takehiro Tomiyasu and Gabriel Jesus. Both men are long term injured. Again.
Gabriel Jesus is not expected back until “late 2025”, whilst no update has been provided for Tomiyasu. Due to their status on the medical table, I would be surprised if either are sold this summer.
The likelihood is they will be registered to play if the squad space is available come 31 August. If it is not, expect them both to be left unregistered. I imagine both would then be moved on in the summer.
So that State of Arsenal? We are in a good place. We do not really need to sell to buy initially to free up space. and we have some very obvious candidates that will likely be moved on to free up space.
Enjoy your Saturday.
**Keenos**