When January comes around Arsenal may not just be looking at new additions, as outgoing deals are also a possibility.
Jonathan Kaney believes in some cases this should be encouraged and has identified four players the Gunners should look to move on in the New Year, which would provide more money to spend, squad space and available wages.
Selling on a player is never easy, and whoever it is some fans will give backlash, so it’s a tricky tightrope for any club to walk- but with Arsenal in the title race it could prove decisive come May.
That works both ways though, as the exits could provide the option for an impressive signing to be made or allow a youngster to become a hit in the first-team.
Should these four players be sold in January, we hope it leads to a case like we mentioned above.
Mathieu Debuchy
The Frenchman looked like a great signing at the start of his Gunners career before suffering a terrible injury after only a few appearances. Gooners were concerned with Carl Jenkinson on loan at West Ham and our only right back the untested Hector Bellerin, but the Spaniard has gone strength to strength under Wenger and moulded in to one of the most promising right backs in Europe.
After being displaced as first choice, Debuchy has been vocal in his frustration about not getting games but this season he has featured in some of our worst performances and has upset fans with his lacklustre showings and attitude in the opportunities he’s been given.
I could see Arsene selling him in January if a club came in with a bid. With him entering his peak and with plenty of Premier League experience we could recoup a few million for him.
Yayo Sanogo
Sanogo is a difficult one, but a definite candidate to be sold in January. At 22 you could say he is a prospect we should hold on to after flashes of brilliance – his four goal haul against Benfica in 2014 comes to mind.
But after underwhelming in an extended run in the first team, an unsuccessful loan spell at Palace and his latest loan club Ajax reportedly sending him back in January after being unimpressed with him, it will be tough for him now to break in to the team.
With his age and raw talent, someone may come in with a bid for him to try and get the best out of him, but we will have to hope they don’t listen to Ajax youth coach Ronald De Boer who said:
“When I see Sanogo, I still have my doubts. I have still found no qualities with which you can do something.”
David Ospina
Ospina is a good keeper and has been unfortunate to be pushed out of the team with the arrival of the world class Peter Cech.
The Colombian has been poor this season in the rare opportunities he’s been given, but is still a talented and well respected keeper in world football.
Better to sell him in January and get as much as we can for him while clubs are interested than let him sit on the bench and lose value.
Tomas Rosicky
More for him than the club, it’s time to let Tomas move on. The veteran Czech playmaker hasn’t kicked a ball this season due to injury and his place in the squad, whilst valuable in the experience he brings, could be better filled with a young talent more likely to mount a first team challenge to Cazorla and Coquelin.
I can’t see Wenger selling Arteta or Flamini as central cover, but at 35 and clearly unhappy with his lack of game time, Rosicky could be allowed to move on to get some first team football in the twilight years of his career.