Neville: Arteta now knows how big a squad overhaul he needs at Arsenal

Martin Macdonald

Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
2 min read

Neville: Arteta now knows how big a squad overhaul he needs at Arsenal — © ProShots

Gary Neville believes Mikel Arteta has four or five Arsenal players he must look to move on this summer as part of a major squad overhaul.

At the weekend, the Gunners were humbled in the Premier League as Liverpool ran out comfortable 3-0 winners at the Emirates thanks to a goal from Mohamed Salah and a double from Diogo Jota.

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The game highlighted the chasm in quality between Arsenal and the top teams in the league, and Liverpool have been nowhere near their best this season which will worry Arteta even more.

The club spent over £76 million on new recruits in the summer, but Arteta is reportedly targeting further acquisitions at the conclusion of the current campaign to mould the squad into his image.

In January they let veteran players Mesut Ozil, Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis Papastathopoulos leave on free transfers just to get them off the wage bill, and other underperforming stars will be moved in the next window.

Neville thinks the loss against Liverpool highlighted further the need for Arteta to freshen his squad up.

“There’s been a lack of pace and a lack of a plan, but when you’re carrying too many who don’t want to do the work without the ball to the extent that the four or five who are missing do, Arteta’s game plan goes,” the former Manchester United captain said on Sky Sports.

“Everything you try to do is then compromised.

“I look at those eyes of Arteta, and there will be an element of ferocity in them. Tonight, he’ll go home knowing what he needs to do in the transfer window at the end of the season.”

Who could leave Arsenal this summer?

FootballTransfers previously reported that Arsenal’s failure to qualify to the Champions League via the Europa League or the Premier League could have harsh consequences financially.

The pandemic has resulted in losses of up to £150m and as a result, the club could be forced to sell key assets this summer including, according to the Times, Bukayo Saka.

Saka is not one of the players Arteta would want to believe, but his age and talent means he could recoup the most money from a transfer away.

Dani Ceballos will return to Real Madrid from this loan spell and it is unlikely that Arsenal will attempt to sign him on a permanent deal.

The club are also willing to look at offers for Alexandre Lacazette, Granit Xhaka, Hector Bellerin, and Mohamed Elneny.