Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has confirmed that four players will be leaving the Emirates Stadium this summer after beating Southampton 2-1 on Sunday.
The Gunners ultimately failed in their ambitions this season as they were comfortably beaten to the Premier League title by Liverpool.
Arteta’s side had a good run in the Champions League too with Arsenal overcoming Real Madrid in the quarter-finals before succumbing to Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals.
Arsenal failed to win a major trophy yet again and now Arteta and new sporting director Andrea Berta are looking to rebuild and go again next season.
And Arteta confirmed after the win at Southampton that they have said goodbye to four players ahead of next season, including Jorginho.
Speaking after the match, Arteta said: “I’m very happy. You want to start your holidays in the next few days with a good feeling, with a good vibe, seeing some smiley faces there.
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“It was important to win it, it was important as well to say goodbye to a few players who have left our football club, to say thank you for their contribution.
“Some of them, like Kieran, they’ve been on this journey for six years with us. Jorginho, we’re trying to hug him, Neto and Raheem as well.
“So, there are a few players that I had the duty to say thank you to. I think we all have and we wish them the best for the next season.
“[Kieran] mentioned it yesterday, he said ‘I’m going to score in my last game’ and he’s certainly done it.”
Arteta added: “It’s time to reflect, time to reset, and get our energy back.
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“It’s been a really demanding season, a season that has stretched us all. But I think the culture and the mindset that we have at the football club have sustained everything to perform with the resources that we have at the highest level up to the last day, and I think that’s remarkable.”
Kieran Tierney opened the scoring before Martin Odegaard grabbed a late winner after Ross Stewart had equalised for Southampton.
On Tierney scoring in his final game, Arteta continued: “He said it yesterday, I’m going to score on my last Arsenal match and he’s done it! So, credit to him, a special thank you to him. He’s been part of the journey and he’s won with me. It’s true that he went to Sociedad for a few months, but it’s been a joy to work with him, a really special character.
“We wish him and his family all the very best. The doors of this club are open for him – he’s someone very, very liked at the club, in the dressing room and we want to wish him the best.”
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