Alan Smith has told three players to leave Arsenal this summer ‘for the good of their careers’.
While Arsenal are looking to bolster Mikel Arteta’s squad following back-to-back Premier League title challenges, they are also working on several outgoings as they look to raise more cash for summer signings.
Smith, who scored more than 100 goals for the Gunners across an eight-year spell in north London, believes Aaron Ramsdale should be one of at least three first-team departures before the start of the new season.
Ramsdale has been heavily linked with a move away from Arsenal after being displaced as Arteta’s number one by David Raya.
Newcastle United contacted Arsenal about a deal for Ramsdale – who is currently with England’s Euro 2024 squad in Germany – but felt his £30m valuation was too steep.
Smith says Ramsdale is too good to endure another season sitting on the bench and believes the same is true for striker Eddie Nketiah, who only started ten Premier League games last term.
At least four English clubs have expressed interest in signing Nketiah, with Arsenal’s London rivals Fulham reportedly willing to pay £30m to bring him to Craven Cottage.
Smith says Arsenal academy graduate Reiss Nelson also ‘needs to be playing regularly’ amid reports the 24-year-old has informed the Gunners he is open to leaving during the summer transfer window.
‘I think there are several players at Arsenal that must move on for the good of their careers,’ Smith told LordPing.
‘Aaron Ramsdale does not want to be sitting on the bench all season again, does he? He’s said as much in a recent interview.
‘Ramsdale is good enough to occupy the number one spot in the Premier League for somebody, whether it’s a top four club is another matter.
‘Eddie Nketiah used to get 20 minutes quite regularly the season before this one, but since Kai Havertz has come in, that’s not happening anymore.
‘It’s a shame for him because I do like him. He’s come through the ranks and he’s a good finisher but with so little game time I’m sure now he’ll want to start really getting his career going.
‘Reiss Nelson is in a very similar situation. He needs to be playing regularly now. From Arsenal’s point of view, it is an advantage [to sell home-grown players] because these youth team players can command good fees that, as we know with the financial regulations, are regarded as pure profit because they come through the academy.
Chelsea are trying to do that to offset all of their incomings. Connor Gallagher and Trevoh Chalobah are the players that they are rumoured to be open to moving on.
‘Selling them, Gallagher in particular, would have a much bigger impact on Chelsea than it would if Arsenal sold Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah.
‘From a financial point of view, Arsenal have spent a lot of money over the last few windows, and they would need to sell in order to invest as heavily as they want to.’
Arsenal, who are travelling to America on their pre-season tour, kick-start the 2024-25 Premier League campaign on August 17 against Wolves.
