Arsenal set to lose Mesut Ozil, Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang this summer according to reports

What's the story?

Mikel Arteta is reportedly planning a massive rebuild of Arsenal this summer and is prepared to sell club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mesut Özil and Alexandre Lacazette to bolster his spending cash.

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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the best performer out of the trio, with 14 goals and one assist in 23 games, but is due to turn 31 in June and isn’t happy about being in a team with such a slim chance of winning the Champions League. Heavy interest from Barcelona has most likely unsettled the forward.

The heart of the matter

Arteta has been disappointed by Arsenal’s lack of progress since his appointment seven weeks ago and is desperate to revamp the side before next season kicks off. With Özil and Aubameyang both out of contract in less than 18 months’ time, Arteta has little choice but to sell as soon as possible to reap back some of what the club spent to get the pair.

It’s understood that Arteta would prefer to keep Aubameyang and is hoping that the Gabon striker will sign a contract extension, but it remains unlikely at the current time. As for Özil and Lacazette, neither have impressed at the Emirates this season, so Arsenal could very well be interested in moving them on if the right offer comes in.

What's next?

While this may come as a shock to Arsenal fans initially, one can understand why Arteta is considering moving these three players on in the summer. Özil has been struggling creatively for quite some time, and his exorbitant wages aren’t doing the club’s bank balance any good. Lacazette has only scored five goals so far this season – well below what the Gunners were expecting from a player who was so clinical in Ligue 1.

Aubameyang will want trophies at this age, and that’s unfortunately something Arsenal can not promise at this time. All three being sold this summer is not out of the realm of possiblity to fund a new Arsenal squad.

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