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Alexis Sanchez, other stars who could leave Arsenal in the summer

After an underwhelming 2016-17 season, how many of Arsenal's stars will leave for greener pastures?

Alexis Sanchez, other stars who could leave Arsenal in the summer

Arsenal winger Alexis Sanchez (Photo: AFP)

It’s been a long, hard season for Arsenal, exiting the Champions League early on and seeing their title hopes in the Premier League evaporate after the turn of the year. While they are in the FA Cup final, the fact that for the first time in over a decade the Gunners would finish outside the top-four may force out some of their biggest names.

However, failure to qualify for Europe isn't the only factor. Some of their big names are frustrated at the club’s perceived lack of ambitions and want to shift to a more competitive side to win them and not just make up the numbers. In view of the present scenario, thestatesman.com has listed below the players who are most likely to leave Arsenal this summer.

Alexis Sanchez

Sanchez is the biggest star Arsenal has and possibly the one whose chances of leaving are the highest. His overly petulant displays and the fact that he refused to sign a contract extension suggest that he is unhappy with life at the Emirates. It has not been all bad, however, as despite falling-out with Wenger, Sanchez has had his most productive season at Arsenal till date. He has got 19 goals in the league alone, a stat which suggest Arsenal will struggle to replace him but public comments regarding his ‘desire to stay in London’ have got the Gunners faithful worried that he may switch to arch-rivals Chelsea. The North-London club are unlikely to qualify for Europe, another factor which may force the Chilean out the door come summer.

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While Arsenal would stand to make a lot of money from any potential deal, what does it say about their ambitions if they sell their biggest asset?
Interested parties: Chelsea, Manchester City
Transfer Possibility: Extreme

Mesut Ozil

The German has blown hot-and-cold this season. A vast majority of Gunners fans are divided over him with one half feeling his mercurial talents lifts the team while the other think he’s simply too lazy to be effective on a consistent basis in the League. His languid approach may be effective against smaller teams, but Ozil has been found wanting on more than one occasion when up against Arsenal’s direct rivals. He’s openly declared that all contract discussions are off the table until the season finishes, which implies that he wants to see where Arsenal finish in the Premier League. So with a hefty wage demand, are there any suitors for Ozil? 

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is said to be interested, but Arsenal will prefer to sell Ozil abroad. He did get a mammoth offer from the Chinese Super League in 2016, but considering he is only 28, a move to Turkish side Fenerbahce makes more sense.
Interested parties: Manchester United, Fenerbahce ,Chinese Super League clubs
Transfer Possibility: High

Hector Bellerin

Bellerin was touted as the league’s finest right-back prior to the season, but his performances have not quite set the pitch alight. Indeed, his questionable hairstyles have overshadowed his exploits, which just about sums it up. He signed a long-term contract in 2016, but most see it as Arsenal’s tactic to churn out maximum money from a transfer that seems imminent. Barcelona’s current right-back Aleix Vidal hasn't been impressive and the Catalans view Bellerin as the long-term heir to Dani Alves. Bellerin publicly said he loves Arsenal and wants to stay.
Interested parties: Barcelona
Transfer Possibility: High

Jack Wilshere

Wilshere officially became Arsenal’s most injury-prone player when he broke his fibula while on loan at Bournemouth, overtaking Abou Diaby. While he has been quite a hit with the Cherries, there is no doubt that he does not have the quality anymore to force his way back into Wenger’s first-team plans. 
A multitude of injuries, dogged fitness issues and perhaps even lifestyle concerns have forced a player who was supposed to be the next great English midfield general to become a player with a calibre of a mid-table club at best. 
Man City are said to be interested but they have plenty of options in midfield and unless he doesn't adjust his wage demands significantly, moving abroad seems to be the only viable option for him. The cash-rich Chinese Super League would snap him up in an instant, but it remains to be seen what the 25-year-old’s priorities are. 

Interested parties: Chinese Super League clubs, Manchester City
Transfer Possibility: High

Wojciech Szczęsny

Remember him, Arsenal fans? The Polish keeper, who had a public falling out with Wenger a while ago, has been playing for Italian Serie A side Roma for the past two seasons but is still on the books of the Gunners. With Petr Tech doing a decent job between the sticks, Wojciech Szczęsny is not going to be featuring in any North-London Derby anytime soon. His exploits in Italy have got Roma and Napoli interested in a permanent move for him and 2017 may well be the year the former Arsenal trainee leaves England for good.

Interested parties: Roma, Napoli

Transfer Possibility: High

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Oxlade-Chamberlain’s only upside is that he is still young and there is time to rectify himself. It’s not to say that he's been a bad player. In fact, just that the potential that he has deserves much more than six goals and as many assists (all competitions) over the course of an entire season. He continues to get injured often, which obviously disrupts his flow and prevents him from becoming the player he could be.
Liverpool are said to be interested and while he would be a good fit in Jurgen Klopp’s high-pressing system, whether Arsenal would be willing to sell him to a direct rival and whether the Reds would be willing to spend £30 million on the 23-year-old is another story altogether. 

Interested parties: Liverpool
Transfer Possibility: Not so high

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