Mikel Arteta could sell Arsenal stars Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Mesut Ozil in major summer revamp
Mikel Arteta is reportedly planning a major summer revamp of his Arsenal squad.
And Gunners stars Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Mesut Ozil are all at risk of being axed.
That is according to who say the Arsenal boss has been unimpressed by his side’s lack of progress since taking over in December.
Arteta has won just one of his opening seven Premier League games in charge which has left Arsenal 10th in the table - and 10 points off fourth-placed Chelsea.
Top earners Ozil and Aubameyang have less than 18 months left on their contracts, while Lacazette’s deal runs out in 2022.
Arteta is believed to be keen on handing fresh terms to Barcelona target Aubameyang, but the Gunners captain does not want to play another season without Champions League football and so is braced for his departure.
Barcelona sporting director Eric Abidal fuelled talk of a summer move this week when he said: “I know Aubameyang.
“He is important and, in his team, he is decisive.
"It is logical that, in the summer, a nine will come."
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Arteta would be far more willing to let Ozil, who earns £350,000-a-week, move on this summer if a club comes calling.
He is yet to score and has contributed just one assist all season and was linked with a lucrative January deadline day move to Qatar.
Similarly to Ozil, Lacazette has struggled for form this term, failing to score in his last nine appearances and could be made available for transfer too.
Arteta also faces a potential defensive reshuffle with error-prone pair Shkodran Mustafi and David Luiz set to be free agents at the end of next season.
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Meanwhile, claim Arteta plans to conclude his summer transfer business before the start of Euro 2020 to avoid being priced out of any deals.
Arsenal are said to be prioritising a box-to-box and creative midfielder along with a central defender.