Amid strong interest in one Arsenal player this summer, Mikel Arteta shouldn’t hesitate to make a brave decision and part ways.
As well as being tasked with signing several of Arteta’s targets this summer, Edu will also need to offload numerous players.
There’s a few obvious names, the likes of Aaron Ramsdale and Eddie Nketiah.
Neither are playing a significant first-team role, and there’s no sign of that changing in either circumstance, two England internationals who should further their career elsewhere.
Thomas Partey is another player who could leave Arsenal, with his recent contributions ruined by his injuries, which have perhaps rendered his future in north London untenable.
And then there’s the tougher decisions, a category of players headlined by Emile Smith Rowe.
Several Premier League sides are interested in signing Smith Rowe from Arsenal this summer, a decision likely to depend on business elsewhere.
And whilst Arsenal seem sensible to take their time with that decision, they should be moving much more swifty with interest from AC Milan in Jakub Kiwior.
Mikel Arteta must make tough decision to sell Jakub Kiwior this summer
Kiwior cost Arsenal £20m when he signed from Spezia at the beginning of 2023, and ended up playing 30 games across all competitions last season.
The Poland international wasn’t first-choice when the season began, but was handed a chance at left-back owing to injuries.
It’s a chance Kiwior initially took well, providing a reassuring robustness when compared to Oleksandr Zinchenko.
But as the games went on, Kiwior’s limitations became clear, eventually leading to Takehiro Tomiyasu taking his starting spot.
The 24-year-old doesn’t have a future at left-back for Arsenal, and the club are right to be seeking a new addition.
And when you then consider Milan’s interest in Kiwior, could Arsenal sign better back up for Gabriel Magalhaes at left centre-back? The answer is yes.
Kiwior hasn’t done a lot wrong in the position, but also isn’t pushing the Brazilian, who Arteta has been willing to drop for others on occasion.
Jorrel Hato and Marc Guehi would be brilliant for Arsenal
Ajax’s Jorrel Hato would be stellar upgrade, a 19-year-old who is perhaps already better technically, a young talent with so much potential.
Unfortunately, Arsenal have been told that it would take an ‘enormous’ bid to sign Hato this summer.
But their options certainly don’t stop there.
Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi could be available this summer, a player who is now pushing for an England start.
And although Guehi isn’t naturally left-footed, he does often play on the left side – someone who could also provide back-up for William Saliba.
Then there’s Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite, who would be expensive but could also be worth the hassle.
The point is, selling Kiwior and finding an upgrade would be a suitably ambitious move for Arsenal, who should accept Milan’s advances at the right price.