Arsenal have taken the first step to streamline their squad ahead of next season, with news that Andrei Arshavin, Sebastien Squillaci and Denilson will all leave the club this summer after their contracts expire. The north London side need to rebuild their contingent in the off-season, with a number of new additions expected at the Emirates Stadium. However, getting fringe players with inflated wages off the books is a pre-requisite also.
With Financial Fair Play rules coming into effect, the Gunners must be careful with wages and expenditure. Having a player earning a huge wage but not playing will eat into Arsene Wenger’s transfer kitty, and reduce the club’s odds of getting back into title contention with bwinbetting.com. The release of the afore-mentioned players will save a considerable amount of money in salaries over the course of the 2013-14 campaign.
Arshavin is the biggest name of the three departing players, and has had an up-and-down time in England. Gunners fans will always remember the four goals he scored in the 4-4 draw against Liverpool at Anfield, and at times in his early Arsenal days he showed glimpses of magic. The problem was that these glimpses were on rare occasion, and towards the end of his time at the club he lost all confidence and ability to influence a game.
Squillaci arrived at the club in 2010 as a France international and with a good reputation in his homeland, but injuries and inconsistent form prevented him from having a consistent run in the team. A total of 23 Premier League appearances in three seasons is a poor return on the investment for the defender.
Denilson is another that showcased promise, and has been at the club since 2006. Still only 25, the Brazilian is talented and able, but is not at the required quality if the north Londoners want to stage a fight for the Premier League title.
Although the impetus will be on who the club bring in, there are others that need to go. Marouane Chamakh, Nicklas Bendtner, Park Chu-Young, Johan Djourou and Andre Santos are all players who have failed to make an impact at the club, and must be sold to cut the wage bill, and allow others to replace them. There are also question marks over Emmanuel Frimpong, Ryo Miyaichi, Lukasz Fabianski, Francis Coquelin and Gervinho.
Arsene Wenger’s cautious approach in the transfer market can frustrate at times, however he must now be more ruthless with his own squad. If he gets rid of players that are not helping the club, a budget to pay top players good wages will become available.
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