Arsenal may need to sanction several sales this summer in order to raise funds for new signings, as Mikel Arteta looks to freshen up his squad ahead of his team’s attempt to retain their status as Premier League champions next season.

The Gunners secured their first league title in 22 years last season, battling Manchester City for the crown and ultimately finishing seven points ahead of Pep Guardiola’s side.

While this was a major success for Arteta’s project, the North London club’s hierarchy aren’t prepared to rest on their laurels. They’re eager to build on this triumph and create a dynasty over the coming years, with many of their closest rivals going through a period of transition.

Bradley Barcola and Morgan Rogers are being heavily linked with a move to Arsenal for astronomical fees, while another striker, a central midfielder and a right-back are also understood to be on sporting director Andrea Berta’s wishlist.

However, to fund this prospective shopping spree, revenue will need to be generated via sales. Here’s how much Arsenal could potentially raise by sanctioning player departures.

Gabriel Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri could raise significant funds for Arsenal

After enduring an injury-ridden campaign in 2024/25, Arsenal loaded up their squad with numerous depth pieces. A symptom of this approach is that Arteta now has a somewhat bloated roster, which he’ll need to trim significantly this summer.

While this can be framed negatively, it’s arguably positive for the Gunners as it gives them ample opportunity to cash in on some valuable assets. The majority of the players up for sale will go for somewhat minimal sums, although there are two players at Arteta’s disposal who could command substantial fees.

Arsenal are reportedly demanding just short of £40million for Gabriel Martinelli, who is the subject of interest from Bayern Munich. Martinelli was left on the periphery of the North Londoners’ squad last season, and given he has just a year left on his current contract, is likely to leave this summer.

The Brazilian is one of Arsenal’s top earners, but fulfills a squad role at the Emirates, and Berta therefore can’t justify offering the winger an extension. Thus, it’s either sell now or lose a player initially bought for £6million from regional Brazilian football for free next summer.

The other player in Arsenal’s squad who ought to be sold for a big fee this summer is Ethan Nwaneri. While Nwaneri has displayed a handful of outstanding attributes, he’s been left in a position where he’s somewhat surplus to requirements in N5.

Martin Odegaard, Eberechi Eze and arguably even Max Dowman are ahead of him in the pecking order, meaning minutes would be few and far between for the 19-year-old if he were to remain at Arsenal. If he can’t develop in North London, then there is no reason for the Gunners to keep hold of Nwaneri when they can garner a real fee for him.

Aston Villa have been linked with the Hale End graduate, as have Cesc Fabregas’ Como. Arsenal could accept around £30 million for the youngster, whilst potentially negotiating a buy-back clause or a significant sell-on clause into a prospective deal.

Several squad players could follow Leandro Trossard out of Arsenal

Aside from Martinelli and Nwaneri, Arsenal don’t have many players who will command huge fees this summer and who they’d actually be interested in selling. However, there are a number of players likely to be on their way out who can be sold for modest fees.

Everton are interested in Ben White, who is expected to leave North London this summer as he enters the latter stages of his career. White has been an excellent servant for the Gunners, but turns 29 in October and has grown increasingly injury-prone in recent seasons. Arsenal can surely expect around £20million for the right-back.

Meanwhile, the North London outfit have already cashed in on Jakub Kiwior, whose move to Porto has been made permanent for £19million.

Elsewhere, Besiktas have agreed a £17million deal to sign Leandro Trossard. Similarly to Martinelli, Trossard had a year left on his deal, making this summer the natural time to part ways with Arsenal. His and the Brazil international’s departures would pave the way for a marquee left-winger to be brought in.

The Gunners have supposedly lowered their asking price for Gabriel Jesus to around £20million. However, given the clubs linked to Jesus are primarily based in Italy and Brazil, and given he’s currently earning around £265,000 per week (via Capology), they may ultimately be forced to settle for even less than this. A fee in the region of £15million may be a more realistic valuation for the injury-prone 29-year-old striker.

After these significant departures, a handful of minor squad sales could take place. Ostracised midfielder Fabio Vieira is working on an exit from Arsenal, and whilst his stock is low, he did enjoy a relatively productive loan spell at Hamburg last season. The Gunners could realistically demand upwards of £5million for the playmaker.

Christian Norgaard is up for sale, although Berta cannot expect a fee of any significance for the Dane, given his age and his status in Arteta’s squad. Somewhere around the £3million mark would represent a respectable sale for the Gunners.

Finally, goalkeeper Karl Hein has completed a £2.6million move to Werder Bremen, where he spent last season on loan.

There is always the possibility of a shock sale materialising later this summer. The likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Odegaard and Riccardo Calafiori have all been loosely mooted as potential candidates for this, although there are yet to be any concrete developments on these fronts, and the assumption would be that Arteta will want to keep all four of these players.

Reiss Nelson may also leave, although it’s likely it’ll be another loan for the forgotten academy graduate.

If deals for the nine transfer-listed players go through at the aforementioned price tags, Arsenal would make £151.6

million in player sales this summer.

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola will continue an audit of his Reds squad during pre-season and could be handed another defensive option early on in the new Premier League season, without splashing out in the transfer window.

Sunderland and Wrexham await for Liverpool in pre-season friendly action later this month before the league campaign begins in earnest with a trip to Newcastle United next month.

Arne Slot managed to do the double over the Magpies last season, but conceded four goals in the process of claiming those victories, forced to play midfielders Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones as makeshift right-backs. Iraola does not want to be left in the same position.

Liverpool handed ‘nice surprise’ in injury boost

Liverpool journalist David Lynch has outlined that the club is ‘absolutely adamant’ that they will not be left short in the right-back position next season.

The Reds had to make do without the services of academy product Conor Bradley from January onwards last term, after the defender picked up a knee injury.

Lynch claims that the 23-year-old has made quick progress on his recovery this summer, in a ‘nice surprise’ for Iraola. He said: “Conor Bradley, as I’m told, is targeting a return shortly after the start of the season, so he’s not a million miles away, which might be a nice surprise for some of you. But they’re not relying on him. They know they’ve got to take it slow. They’ve got to be very, very careful with him.

“They also know that [Jeremie] Frimpong, they don’t want him to play too many games at right-back, they want him to be available to play up and down occasionally as a versatile utility man. They don’t want to say, you’re the back-up right-back. They are going to find solutions, as I understand it.”

Liverpool stance on right-back recruitment

Lynch believes that, while a new addition at right-back is possible, Liverpool may look to think outside the box when it comes to adding strength in depth.

It’s touted that Liverpool could stand firm over the future of Joe Gomez, and officially make the 29-year-old a back-up option in that position. Gomez is entering the final year of his contract at Anfield, and has been linked with Premier League rivals Aston Villa.

If Liverpool are to invest, the priority would be to ensure that any incoming would be comfortable playing both centrally and at right-back. While new boy Jeremy Jacquet is adept at playing either side of centre-back, he does not have experience on the flank.

By the end of the week, the winner of the 2026 World Cup will be known. A record 48 teams have taken part in the summer tournament, but only one will walk away with the iconic trophy.

The finalists are Argentina and Spain. Lionel Messi’s men are aiming to win their second successive World Cup after beating England 2-1 in their semi-final, while Lamine Yamal and co are hoping to win the competition for the third time in Spanish history, having overcome France in the prior round.

The game will take place on Sunday, 19 July, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It could go either way, but former player and current pundit Zlatan Ibrahimovic has confidently named his predicted winner.

Ibrahimovic Backs Spain To ‘Dominate’ World Cup Final

Zlatan Ibrahimovic via REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

Former Sweden striker Ibrahimovic has not shied away from making some big claims while working for Fox Sports this summer. He tore into England boss Thomas Tuchel after Argentina’s semi-final victory, and has now made another bold statement.

Indeed, the pundit has confidently predicted that Spain will ‘dominate’ the final on their way to World Cup glory. He explained:

Ibrahimovic isn’t the only legendary former footballer to predict a World Cup winner. Indeed, a number of ex-players-turned-pundits have made their claims. England striker of the past, for example, Michael Owen believes Spain are a ‘lot better.’

Agreeing with Ibrahimovic, Owen said: “Argentina have had quite a lucky path through to the semi-finals. They made hard work of Cape Verde, they made hard work of Egypt, they scored last-minute goals against England. We probably let them through as opposed to beating us and I don’t think they’ve been very impressive throughout the tournament.

“Whereas Spain are impressive, that performance against France was pure class; that was a serious performance against a great opponent. I think Spain are a lot better than Argentina and I expect them to win the World Cup and deservedly so.”

John Terry praised Argentina but also backed Spain, noting, “They were so together, they’ve got grit about them,” but I still think Spain will edge it.” While Scottish football icon Graeme Souness had a similar take: “I think it’s a hard one to call. We’ve seen what Argentina are about.

“Spain, for me, are the favourites but I find it really hard to rule out Argentina because they can dig deep, you write them off at your peril. “I put Spain as the slight favourites but having played against plenty of Argentinian players, I know how mentally tough they are. They are proper footballers from a tough nation.”

Former Real Madrid and Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas, however, has backed Argentina because of Messi. He said: “In a final as evenly matched as this one, it’s hard to call either team the favourite because both are outstanding sides. But if I have to pick one, I’d choose Argentina because they have Messi.”

Spain appear to be the favourites for many, but as Navas points out, it would be unwise to rule out any team with Messi on board.