#7 Per Mertesacker
Mertesacker activated his one-year extension in January to stretch his stay at the Emirates until 2018, which is weird because his sole game for Arsenal came against Everton on the final day of the League.
Perhaps his fruitful partnership with Laurent Koscielny for Arsenal in the prior years has come to an end with the arrival of the much younger Shkodran Mustafi.
Despite the long absence from the pitch this season, it is obvious Wenger still values the German’s influence in the dressing room. I won’t be surprised to see the man who is currently re-defining the role of the football captain, stay beyond 2018 but as a member of staff.
#6 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is, kind of, the polar opposite of Theo Walcott. They are similar in many ways, but differ in what they are willing to give on the pitch for Arsenal. Oxlade-Chamberlain has given plenty to justify claims that he deserves to play a more central role for this club. Unfortunately for him, he’s still Wenger’s mini-experiment as the manager prefers to play him wide.
Securing his signature is not all down to the board. Chamberlain’s ambition is perhaps on the verge of outgrowing the club’s. His future is likely to be tied to external factors, such as whether Arsenal will succeed in keeping Ozil and Sanchez, and Wenger’s plans for him on the pitch.
#5 Theo Walcott
Walcott has failed to live up to the expectations and seems to be a component of Arsenal’s old identity that some want to shake off. On top of that, he’s earning as much as Arsenal’s two best players - £140,000 a week.
He has still managed to score 19 goals in all competitions this season, but he rarely turned up when it mattered and that has led many to question his passion and big-game ability on the pitch.
Walcott is not an immediate problem as there are other more urgent matters at Arsenal, but should Wenger be left with an extra hour or two, he might reach for the phone to free up some resources.
