Arsenal have released eight academy players today as part of a summer squad rebuild, with Mikel Arteta also completing one £34.5m permanent signing so far this summer
Max Dowman and Harrison Dudziak of Arsenal during the Arsenal training session at Sobha Realty Training Centre
Harrison Dudziak (L) is one of eight Arsenal players who has been released this week(Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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No fewer than eight players have left through the Emirates exit for the last time as Arsenal players. Yesterday marked the usual contract expiry date across most major European leagues, with clubs up and down the country saying goodbye to a host of talent.
The Gunners are no exception and appear poised to refresh their squad with a fresh wave of signings this summer. However, that has so far yielded just a single new addition in the transfer window.
Mikel Arteta has secured defender Piero Hincapie on a permanent basis after the Ecuadorian spent last season on loan from Bayer Leverkusen. Hincapie played an instrumental role in the side that ended Arsenal's 20-year wait for a Premier League title and was promptly snapped up for £34.5million.
Many supporters will have been delighted to see him turn his temporary spell into a long-term commitment. Yet they will also be eager to see entirely new faces arrive, particularly following the release of no fewer than eight players today.
Sam Chapman, Harrison Dudziak, Seb Ferdinand, Cam'ron Ismail, Will Lannin-Sweet, Josh Nichols, Samuel Onyekachukwu and Alexei Rojas-Fedorushchenko have all departed the club. The circumstances behind each exit will vary, though the majority will largely stem from Arsenal seeing no clear pathway into the first team in north London.
Wales under-19 international Lannin-Sweet put pen to paper on his first professional contract just last summer but is already heading for the exit door. He spent the latter half of last season on loan at Dagenham and Redbridge but has yet to secure his next move.
Meanwhile, Ferdinand, Nichols and Onyekachukwu are among those who signed their professional deals in 2024. Wide man Ferdinand became a familiar face in Premier League 2 but failed to do enough to persuade the club of his readiness for senior football.
Sebastian Ferdinand of Arsenal challenges Charlie Penman of Brighton during the PL2 match between Arsenal U21 and Brighton & Hove Albion U21 at Meadow Park
Seb Ferdinand (L) played a prominent role in Arsenal's Premier League 2 squad but has been released(Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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Nichols, meanwhile, has agreed a switch to Croat club Kustosija, who have just secured promotion to the country's second tier. Chapman, on the other hand, is set to head to the United States, where he will play NCAA Division 1 football for Georgia Southern University.
Colombian youth goalkeeper Rojas-Fedorushchenko had already confirmed his departure earlier this summer. The South American spent eight years at Colney and described his time with Arsenal as "a true privilege."
He wrote last month: "Progressing through from the academy to the first team. Every step of the journey has taught me about what it takes to perform as an elite athlete, on and off the pitch. It has been a true privilege to work with so many elite people across the years.
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"And to the Arsenal fans, thank you for your unwavering support, passion, and love for the club. Wearing this badge has been a privilege, and hearing your encouragement every step of the way is something I'll never forget."
Arsenal have additionally reached agreements to offload former first-team prospects Jakub Kiwior and Karl Hein to Porto and Werder Bremen, respectively. Porto have forked out an initial £14.7m to secure Kiwior on a permanent basis following his loan spell last season, while the Gunners will pocket a more modest £2.6m for Hein.
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