Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Christian Norgaard all face shrinking roles as Arsenal reshape their squad.
Arsenal need to strengthen a title-winning squad this summer, but aside from additions, Mikel Arteta still has several decisions to make before the transfer window closes.
Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Christian Norgaard all face uncertain futures for different reasons. Some have been pushed further from the starting XI by new arrivals, while others need regular football that Arsenal are unlikely to provide.
None should be forced out for the sake of trimming numbers. However, each case has reached a point where moving on may suit both the player and the club more than another season on the fringes.
Jesus, to me, is the clearest candidate.
The Brazilian has entered the final year of his contract. Carrying an estimated £280,000-a-week salary for a player who managed 432 Premier League minutes last season is increasingly difficult to justify. For Arsenal, although they may not receive a significant fee, cashing in on the forward before his contract runs out, while not having to pay such a substantial weekly wage, would be a win on both fronts.
Injury restricted him again last season, but his position in the squad has changed regardless. Viktor Gyokeres is the first-choice centre-forward, Havertz provides another established option and Mikel Merino has shown he can operate up front when required.
He still has quality, but this is Arsenal’s final realistic opportunity to receive a meaningful fee rather than losing him when his contract expires.
Vieira spent last season on loan at Hamburg, where seven goals and six assists from 31 appearances gave him the regular football he was unlikely to get at Arsenal.
It followed another year away at Porto, and two successive loans make his position fairly clear. He remains a talented player, but Mikel Arteta has built his midfield without him. Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze are established options, while Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman are also pushing for minutes in the creative roles.
Hamburg have made no secret of how much they value Vieira, but a permanent deal has not been as straightforward as his loan spell might have suggested. The German club allowed their purchase option to expire, seemingly in the hope of negotiating a lower fee with Arsenal.
A sale would be the best outcome, particularly with Vieira’s contract due to expire in 2027. Should Arsenal be unable to find a buyer, another loan may be the only realistic way to secure him regular football. That would solve the immediate problem, but it would also leave the club with very little time to recover a meaningful fee for the 26-year-old.
Kepa proved to be an experienced and capable deputy to David Raya, featuring throughout Arsenal’s domestic cup runs. His value as a second-choice goalkeeper should not be dismissed.
The calculation changed when Arsenal signed Illan Meslier in July. The 26-year-old’s arrival leaves Arteta with Raya, Kepa and Meslier, alongside Tommy Setford and other academy options.
Kepa made 12 appearances last season but played only once in the Premier League. At 31, he may understandably want a route back to regular first-team football.
Arsenal should not push him out for the sake of it, but they now have enough cover to sell if an acceptable offer arrives. Over the past season, his reported £ 60,000-a-week wage would have equated to a hefty £260,000 per appearance.
Moving the Spanish goalkeeper on could generate a fee and remove an estimated £3million-plus annual salary, without leaving the goalkeeping department exposed.
Norgaard is the least urgent departure, but his limited role makes him expendable.
Arsenal signed the former Brentford captain for an initial £10million on a two-year contract with an additional option. He brought with him Premier League experience and specialist defensive qualities, but managed just 107 league minutes during his first season.
Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice are firmly ahead of him, while Merino and Myles Lewis-Skelly can provide further midfield cover, as well as a potential move for Bruno Guimaraes on the cards. Norgaard remains useful in specific situations, but at 32 he is unlikely to become more central to Arteta’s plans.
Aside from the players gaining opportunities to see regular first-team football elsewhere, On the available salary estimates, moving Jesus, Kepa and Norgaard could remove more than £20 million in annual basic wages for Arsenal before any transfer fees are even involved. Vieira could also bring a useful fee after rebuilding his reputation in Germany.
None of the four are poor players. Arsenal have simply reached the stage where retaining capable squad members is not enough. Each place must have a clear purpose, and these are four situations where the value of selling now may outweigh the benefit of keeping them.