Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny has now confirmed that he will leave the club after nearly eight years at the Emirates Stadium.
The 31-year-old joined in January 2016 under Arsene Wenger, and has been at the club throughout except for the 2019-20 season, when he was on loan at Turkish side Besiktas.
Elneny has made 161 appearances for Arsenal, as he spent the majority of his time in North London as a reliable backup squad option, but he still has some memorable moments.
The Egyptian star initially joined to replace Mikel Arteta shortly before his retirement, and he eventually became a figure that the Spaniard trusted in the dressing room, but he is now moving on.
Mohamed Elneny sends farewell message to Arsenal fans
In a video posted on his X account, Elneny confirmed his impending departure in an emotional message, and stated his intention to say a proper farewell after Arsenal’s final game of the season against Everton.
“Gooners, I’m here today to send you a message, to say goodbye and thank you for everything you’ve done for me,” he stated.
“The love, the support and the kindness. I’m really going to miss you so much and you’ll be in my heart forever.
“I wanted to say how much I love you and how much you mean to me. I will never forget the way you supported me.
“I’m going to see you on Sunday at the Emirates to say goodbye face to face, see you Gunners.”
Why Mohamed Elneny’s departure from Arsenal is more significant than realised
Elneny has hardly featured in the last two seasons, and he won’t be missed on the pitch as Arsenal are thriving with Declan Rice in midfield, but he is held in high regard in the dressing room.
His exit is symbolic of the change Arsenal have gone through under Arteta. Elneny is the last player in the squad who was part of the team which won the 2017 FA Cup, and is the last signing made by Wenger who still remains at the club.
The only remaining players who even appeared under Wenger are Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah, and both could also leave this summer.
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Elneny is sure to receive a warm reception from the Arsenal fans as he bids farewell to the Emirates after the upcoming title-deciding clash with Everton, and he is someone who many will remember fondly for his professionalism and work-rate despite not featuring regularly.