As the Premier League season crawls to an end and the summer transfer window arrives, clubs will be looking to upgrade their squads. However, it also means that players will want to make make sure that their playing career doesn't stall. Clubs will be looking to unload players who haven’t really made the difference so far, and Arsene Wenger is no different. The players mentioned below definitely need a new challenge as they have failed to make any significant impact on the first team lineup.
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The list, however controversial, is true, with the players below having made less than 15 appearances across all competitions for the Gunners until the end of January. The list includes players who were once regarded as either the future of the club or players who could have made their mark in world football for Arsenal.
#5 Kieran Gibbs
Kieran Gibbs was once considered to be the future of Arsenal for a long period of time and a possible healthy international career. He signed for the Gunners nearly 13 odd years ago and made his Premier League debut against Tottenham during the 2008-2009 season. 13 years on, and the left back has barely made 14 odd appearances and is probably looking for a new challenge at an another club.
He has, however, performed reasonably well when his services were called upon, but at 27, he needs regular league football. Gibbs has made only two starts in the Premier League, and while he may earn a lot of money doing nearly nothing and waiting for his contract to end, his chance of making the England World Cup squad may suffer.
Now with Cohen Bramall signing for Arsenal, and the Gunners’ continued interest in Valencia’s Jose Gaya and Wenger’s faith in Nacho Monreal, despite his drop in form, are all signs that Gibbs may never get a chance at proper first team football.
With Crystal Palace interested in his services, the 27-year-old may look to leave the club that he’s called home since 2004.
#4 Yaya Sanogo
When Arsene Wenger signed Yaya Sanogo, there were groans, to say the least. Here was ‘Le Professeur’ doing something slick, signing someone no one has ever heard of, that too a tall French striker. Given Wenger’s history with French players, there was palpable excitement after the signing of the 20-year-old. But after Sanogo’s debut for the Gunners, fans and critics alike could see why Wenger was able to sign him as a free transfer.
The time he took to score his first goal, was worse than him bumbling about the pitch and into the starting eleven. He’s now 24 and has gone from being an Arsenal starter to a Charlton legend with a hat-trick on his debut, but hasn’t featured for the first team this season.
He hasn't made a single appearance all season and has now made the Champions League cut for the knockout stages and given that the Gunners play Bayern Munich, he may never get to play.
#3 Carl Jenkinson
Carl Jenkinson grew up an Arsenal fan, with his room covered with memorabilia of his favourite club. So when he signed for the club it seemed to be a fairytale come true but that’s not the way it’s gone up till now. With multiple loans to West Ham in the last two seasons, it seemed that this would finally be the year for the 24-year-old right back.
But after a few decent games, Jenkinson put in his worst performance during a 2-0 loss in a League Cup match against Southampton. He was heavily criticised and was dropped completely from the squad for the next Premier League game despite Hector Bellerin being injured.
Debuchy did start the next game but immediately got injured and since then Wenger has either played Gabriel or brought on Ainsley Maitland-Niles from the youth team.
Crystal Palace seemed to be the ideal fit for the 24-year-old but a disagreement over his wages caused the transfer to fall through, during the January transfer window. While Jenkinson is good enough to be a Premier League regular, he’s simply not a player who can perform consistently at a top level.
#2 Jack Wilshere
Jack Wilshere has always been the face of the future for Arsenal. Ever since that spectacular season a little over five years ago, Wilshere had or still can do brilliant things at Arsenal. But all that was before his injury problems, the lack of depth in the Gunners’ squad and also his form.
Now with a young and zestful Granit Xhaka in the team, Arsenal sent the 25-year-old on loan to Bournemouth, where he's managed to shine to a certain extent.
The question is, however, does the Englishman have a future at Arsenal?? There was a time where Arsene Wenger would have never let a star player leave the club on loan, but all that just shows the depth that the current Arsenal squad has.
While the actual answer all depends on things that can't be predicted, some critics think that there is a chance of Wilshere leaving the club. With less than 18 months left on his contract, the club has approached the central midfielder, but Wilshere has said that he would only sign if he's guaranteed to be a starter.
#1 Mathieu Debuchy
Mathieu Debuchy was always a good signing for Arsenal. He came in at a time when they needed someone good at right back, and for a while, all was well. But then he got injured, and Arsene Wenger decided to hand a youngster named Hector Bellerin a chance to shine. A little over a year later, Bellerin has stolen Debuchy’s first team spot from under him and also has serious interest from both Manchester City and Barcelona.
Now with, Debuchy’s lack of playing time combined with the way he claimed Wenger has treated him, led to him badmouthing the team and the manager. Wenger axed the French international and also put him up for sale during the January transfer window.
A fully fit Mathieu Debuchy is easily good enough to play and would be the team’s answer for a backup right back for Bellerin. But Debuchy publicly criticised Wenger after the manager blocked a move to Manchester United and then went on loan to Bordeaux.
Wenger has told journalists and the public that Mathieu Debuchy is available for transfer to whatever club he desires.
