With the European transfer window closing last week, Arsenal can stop worrying about players who might leave immediately, and start focusing on new contracts for those they want to keep next summer.
First on the agenda for Arsenal should be the six senior players who will become free agents in 2019, as it stands.
Mostly the club have done a good job of getting new signings tied down to longer term deals. So much so that next year Laurent Koscielny and Carl Jenkinson will be the only two players with a year left on their contracts to worry about.
Aaron Ramsey
- Age: 27
- Position: Midfield
- Appearances in 2017/18: 32
It would be difficult to follow Arsenal and be unaware of Aaron Ramsey’s expiring contract. The Welshman’s current deal is the topic of many a press conference and interview at the moment, and talks have seemingly been dragging on for a long time.
As a result, it’s very difficult to know whether the 27-year-old intends to sign an extension. Perhaps he’s just stalling to try and get more money, or maybe he wants a move away and knows Arsenal won’t sell. Certainly the longer negotiations go on, the more it starts to look like he won’t stick around past next summer.
Danny Welbeck
- Age: 27
- Position: Forward
- Appearances in 2017/18: 43
Welbeck made more appearances for Arsenal last season than anyone else on this list, scoring double figures in goals and grabbing a couple of assists as well in 2017/18. He’s already off the mark for the new season as well, scoring in his first appearance against West Ham.
Unai Emery also gave Welbeck a vote of confidence by making it clear to the media he wasn’t one of those who could leave this summer.
Despite all that, I think player and club probably both want to wait a bit longer before making a decision on a new contract. Welbeck’s injury problems and inconsistency in front of goal before last season don’t make him a prime candidate for a big money extension, and if he can’t get consistent games he might not want to stay anyway.
Stephan Lichtsteiner
- Age: 34
- Position: Defence
- Appearances in 2017/18: 32
Lichtsteiner only just joined Arsenal from Juventus this summer, but he’s already less than a year from the end of his contract. The Gunners clearly didn’t want to risk signing a 34-year-old who picks up an injury in the first few months and never plays again, whilst picking up wages for the next few years.
The defender’s situation shouldn’t be a problem for the club though, as the right-back agreed to an option in his contract to extend the deal for an additional year. All Arsenal have to do is activate the option and they can hang on to the experienced international for a bit longer.