Summer clear-out? Wenger set to wield the axe!

Arsenal have performed well below-par this season, having been knocked out of all cup competitions and currently languishing just outside the top four. This translates into another trophy-less campaign, mirroring the last seven years, and they could also face the ignominy of missing out on Champions League football for next season.

Many consider Arsenal’s current squad as one of the worst Wenger has assembled, with their judgement based on the premise that former star players like Fabregas, Nasri, Song, Van Persie have never actually been replaced by proven quality at the top level.

Sure, they have bought in the likes of Cazorla and also have home-grown Wilshere, but who else? Gunners fans fear an exodus of star players every summer but the harsh reality is that they have hardly any quality players left that are coveted by so-called big clubs.

Their lack of spine in the team has never been so apparent than in this campaign, having been humiliated against League Two Bradford City in the Capital One Cup as well as suffering a demoralizing 1-0 defeat at home to Championship outfit Blackburn in the FA Cup. They were humbly outclassed at home against Bayern in the Champions League, even though they put up a spirited performance in the return leg.

Wenger has seen enough to warrant sweeping changes to rejuvenate his squad in the summer. By Arsenal standards, they have a transfer warchest of £70 million and are widely expected to spend big in order to regain their footing in the upper echelons of domestic and European football.

According to Dailymail, Wenger is planning a summer clear-out for his flops. Loan players like Chamakh, Bendtner, Djourou and Santos will likely join squad players Gervinho, Ashravin and Squillaci out the exit door. Even the likes of Vermaelen, Sagna, Rosicky and Szczesny are believed to be on their way out unless they can prove themselves before the remainder of the campaign.

Wenger has given a stern warning to some of his under-achieving stars that they will be playing for their futures in the Gunners’ remaining fixtures. He said, “The current players have to prove between now and the end of the season that they can be part of our plans next year. We have to analyse (our squad). What will decide my attitude is how we do in our final games and where we can improve at the end of the season.”

Some of the players in line for an exit with their possible replacements are:

Strikers: Gervinho, Chamakh (loan), Bendtner (loan), Park (loan)

Possible Replacements – Jovetic (Fiorentina), Villa (Barcelona), Aubameyang (St. Etienne)

Midfielders: Rosicky, Arshavin, Djourou (loan), Denilson (loan)

Possible Replacements – Isco (Malaga), Wanyama (Celtic), Bender (Leverkusen), Clasie (Feyenoord)

Defenders: Sagna, Squillaci, Mertesacker, Vermalaen, Santos (loan)

Possible Replacements – Corchia (Sochaux), Williams (Swansea), Rami (Valencia), Chedjou (Lille), Ogbonna (Torino)

Goalkeepers: Szczesny, Mannone

Possible Replacements – Valdes (Barcelona), Reina (Liverpool), Worm (Swansea), Mulsera (Galatasaray)