5 Arsenal stars who need to leave to further their career

#3 Cedric Soares

Cedric Soares of Arsenal vies with Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes in a Premier League game

Eyebrows were raised when Arsenal signed Cedric Soares on loan from Southampton in January 2020, and there were mixed reactions when he signed a permanent deal with the club that summer.

Capable of playing in both full-back positions, Cedric was signed to provide some much-needed strength and depth. The Portugal international has enjoyed some solid performances at Arsenal but, like Nketiah, only played limited minutes during the 2020-21 season.

Cedric made just eight Premier League starts for Arsenal last season, providing one assist. The 29-year old was not included in the Portugal squad for Euro 2020 and it seems unlikely that he will be a starter for Arsenal next season.

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#2 Granit Xhaka

Arsenal v Manchester City - Premier League

Granit Xhaka's relationship with the Arsenal fan base is complex, to say the least. While the quality is visible, certain aspects of his play tend to frustrate Arsenal's fans.

The Switzerland international joined Arsenal from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2016 for £40.5 million. An excellent passer, Xhaka's temperament has often come under question, with he has endured some controversial moments since he signed for Arsenal.

Arsenal are working to sell players in the next days. OM are in advanced talks to sign Mattéo Guendouzi who’s coming back from Hertha Berlin loan spell. AS Roma are pushing to complete Granit Xhaka deal soon. Arsenal are open to sell Lucas Torreira too. 🔴 #AFC #OM @santi_j_fm

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 29, 2021

The 28-year old is likely to leave Arsenal in the summer. Xhaka has been heavily linked with a move to Roma and reports suggest that a transfer could take place soon.

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#1 William Saliba

AFC Wimbledon v Arsenal U21 - Papa John's Trophy

It is hard to understand why Arsenal paid £27 million to acquire William Saliba in 2019 if they had no intention of using him in the first place.

One of the best young centre-backs in Ligue 1, Saliba was in high demand when Arsenal swooped in to sign him from Saint-Etienne. There were high expectations when he arrived at Arsenal in 2020, but he was not even included in the club's squad for the season.

Two #OGCNice players figure among the 100 nominees for #GoldenBoy2021 , an award that rewards the best U21 player playing in Europe: William Saliba and Khephren Thuram. 🦅🔴⚫️➡️ https://t.co/oaSYf7qumQ pic.twitter.com/i8RqHf1Yku

— OGC Nice 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@ogcnice_eng) June 16, 2021

The 20-year old joined Nice on loan in January this year, and did really well with the Ligue 1 side. With Arsenal rumoured to be interested in signing Brighton & Hove Albion centre-back Ben White, it would be better for Saliba to look for a fresh start elsewhere.

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