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After months of speculation, Alexis Sanchez left Arsenal while Mesut Ozil signed a contract extension which will last until 2021. Over the seasons, Arsenal fans have been disappointed with the club's management over new contracts.
In addition, Arsene Wenger seemed increasingly alright with players running their contracts down. This meant that they could possibly leave the club for free once their contract ends. That was the worse case scenario any fan could envisage.
When Ozil finally announced that he had signed, everyone was so glad as though the club had just bought a new player. Offering exorbitant wages to a player has never been Arsenal's style of settling contract talks, particularly under Wenger's management.
The French manager has been known to be unwilling to spend too much on a player. As a result, players came and left Arsenal as soon as there were lucrative offers from rival clubs.
Although keeping Ozil on the team seemed to be the main priority in January, the focus has now shifted to the rest of the players whose contracts are expiring soon. Some of the players such as Rob Holding and Mohamed Elneny have gone on to extend their contracts without much media speculation.
As Arsenal prepares to welcome their new manager after 22 long years, it is unsure who will be kept and who will face the axe. Based on the overall performances this season and the players' contracts, here are five Gunners who deserve a new contract.
#5 Jack Wilshere
Wilshere has never been as fit as in this season. In his previous two seasons playing for Arsenal, the midfielder managed a total of 30 appearances across all competitions. This season alone, he made 40 appearances for his club.
A loan move to Bournemouth seemed to have helped him get back to fitness. Even though he suffered an injury towards the end of last season, his recovery was swift and without plenty of setbacks.
Wilshere kept his expectations low at the beginning of the season and began to play in the Europa League. The midfielder impressed many of his critics as well as Arsene Wenger in the group stage of the Europa League competition. The French manager then promised the player game time in Premier League.
Playing in the Premier League in an Arsenal shirt seemed like a dream come true for Wilshere who had been able to keep fit for the majority of the season. At times, he looked out of sorts in the early stages of the match. However, after the break, he soon found himself becoming able to focus and concentrate better on the game.
The contract he currently has will end this summer. Wenger is certainly keen for Wilshere to stay on as a Gunner. As things remain, his contract talks are likely to go into great depth at the end of the season and perhaps possibly after the World Cup.
The 26-year-old has attracted interest from Everton and AC Milan. After his particularly good looking season, the experienced player does not lack suitors around the world.
#4 Aaron Ramsey
Wenger recently confirmed that talks are ongoing with regards to Ramsey's contract extension. There were indications that many Premier League rivals including Chelsea and Liverpool are keen to sign the Welsh. As of now, nothing has quite materialized and Ramsey remains a key player in the team.
When the new manager takes over, it is expected that Ramsey will continue to have a role in Arsenal's midfield. Like Wilshere, Ramsey had suffered bouts of long injury spells. The player has made 31 appearances in all competitions this season and was given breaks in the early stages of Europa League and EFL Cup.
There is some sort of team balance when Ramsey plays with Granit Xhaka right in front of the backline. Ramsey, being the attacking minded player, enjoys making dangerous runs into his opponents' penalty box. That has allowed him to 11 goals in all competitions this season and provide another 11 more for his team-mates.
His importance for the team should not be overlooked by the incoming manager. It will be a priority for the Gunners to tie Ramsey down to a new long-term contract.
#3 Danny Welbeck
Was buying Danny Welbeck really the right decision? Till this day, many continue to question his strengths and capability of playing for Arsenal. In his recent performances, he assured the majority that he was the right buy.
Lately, with Lacazette and Aubameyang leading the lines, Welbeck found that his chances to be the front striker are slim. However, he has learned to use his pace and upper body strength to challenge defenders. The forward may not have the best finishing in Premier League, but he certainly is a lethal and strong striker that many defenders are wary of.
Throughout the games that he has played this season, Welbeck showcased his work rate and eagerness to help his team. He has had goalscoring problems and periods whereby nothing seemed to be going his way. Wenger's faith in his talents was repaid when Welbeck finally found some confidence in his play and partnered well with Lacazette after the latter's return from injury.
One thing good about Welbeck is that he never stops trying regardless of the situation. Even when things are not looking good for him, he never gives up.
He may have squandered multiple chances along the way, but he learns from them and picks himself up thereafter. A forward has the responsibility to score goals, but most importantly, he has to able to share chances with his team-mates instead of trying to find the glory all by himself.
#2 Granit Xhaka
The Swiss midfielder has improved his discipline by leaps and bounds this season. Amassing 10 yellows and zero reds in 37 Premier League games, it looks better than five yellows and two reds from the previous season. At the same time, Xhaka has also provided seven assists thus far in the Premier League season as compared to twice from last season.
When Xhaka plays for his side, the team is able to transition quickly from defence to attack. The defensive midfielder has also worked on shielding the ball from his opponents and protecting the backline. There were occasions when Arsenal's full-backs were caught on a counter-attack, Xhaka positioned himself in the correct positions to delay the attack.
He has also worked extremely well with Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere in the midfield. With him at the base of the midfield, he allows his partner to advance and help out in the attack whenever necessary. He has an average pass length of 18m and a passing accuracy of 86%. His left-foot is definitely one of the best and most accurate in Premier League.
It is wonderful that Arsenal has such a wonderful player like him. Despite his poor season previously, Xhaka has now integrated himself into the team and been established as a vital player in the midfield. The 25-year-old has a contract which lasts till 2021. It may still be early for discussions, but it will be of extreme priority to keep him at the club in the near future.
#1 Reiss Nelson
The youngster is dubbed one of the greatest prospects graduating from Arsenal academy. He has earned praise from his team-mates, club legends, and the manager in the past two years.
Fans are looking forward to seeing him make more appearances for the team alongside other youngsters such as Joe Willock, Eddie Nketiah, and Ainsley Maitland-Niles. The English player is quick on his feet and not afraid to throw himself into challenges. Although it is obvious that he still lacks experience in his play, there has to be a reason why so many agree that he has a promising future.
Unlike Nketiah and Maitland-Niles, Nelson has yet to sign a new long-term Arsenal contract. The player himself is keen to stay on as an Arsenal and he raves for more chances to play for the first-team.
It will be dependent on how the new manager deploys him in the team and how greatly valued he is. Youngsters such as Chris Willock and Marcu McGuane have left the Gunners for more first-team exposure. If the club continues to restrict the play of these up and rising stars, they could soon be seeking a move.
On a more certain note, this youngster ought to be offered a contract for him to prove his worthiness. He has starred in Premier League 2 times this season where he impressed when playing with the rest of the youngsters.
Wenger has also opted to bring him along in the first-team on multiple occasions, showing that there is indeed a trust in his talents and playing style. Nelson could soon be Arsenal's next superstar.
