Arsenal could raise £129.5m from player sales this summer

The Gunners are no longer in need of a major squad overhaul following back-to-back second-placed finishes in the Premier League, missing out on the title by two points in the 2023-24 campaign.

Two of last year's marquee summer signings - Declan Rice and Kai Havertz - made a huge difference for Arsenal last term, while Jurrien Timber was hampered by an ACL problem but should play a prominent role next season.

A new striker and new defensive midfielder are among Mikel Arteta's chief targets for the summer window, while a left-back and goalkeeper could also arrive depending on exits.

A handful of players who slipped down the pecking order in 2024-25 are expected to head for the exit door in search of regular game time elsewhere, and the exodus began on Monday, when Arsenal confirmed the exits of Mohamed Elneny and Cedric Soares on free transfers.

Aaron Ramsdale, Emile Smith Rowe to headline exits?

Now, focus will turn to offloading a batch of fringe players, including as many as four Englishman in Aaron Ramsdale, Emile Smith Rowe, Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah, the latter three of whom would go down as pure profit.

Ramsdale is valued at £21.3m by Transfermarkt and should certainly command at least that fee given his previous exploits in an Arsenal shirt before being demoted to second choice by David Raya, whose Brentford loan will soon be made permanent.

Meanwhile, academy graduates Nketiah, Nelson and Smith Rowe are rated at £25.5m, £12.8m and £18.7m respectively, although the Gunners are hopeful of garnering up to £30m through the former's sale.

It is not impossible to envision Arsenal holding out for £20m packages for Nelson and Smith Rowe either, in spite of their lack of minutes, but they have been notoriously poor sellers in recent years.

Left-backs likely to depart after loan spells

As well as the English quartet, midfield duo Thomas Partey (£15.3m) and Albert Sambi Lokonga (£12.8m) are on the chopping block, and the latter has already confirmed that he is seeking a move elsewhere.

Lokonga returns to North London on the back of a worthwhile loan spell at Luton Town, and he is one of three Gunners men who plied their trade elsewhere last season to find themselves on the transfer list.

Left-backs Nuno Tavares and Kieran Tierney were shipped out to Nottingham Forest and Real Sociedad respectively due to Arteta's desire for an inverted left-back, but neither earned a permanent move to their temporary locations.

Tavares is valued at £12.8m, while Tierney comes in slightly lower at £10.2m, and Arsenal must not fall into the trap of accepting lowball offers in a desperate bid to rid themselves of their fringe options.