Arsenal to say goodbye to 22 players as summer transfer plans take shape

It could be an emotional weekend for a number of Arsenal players as their time at the club comes to an end.

Earlier this month the Gunners announced 22 players will be leaving the north Londoners upon the expiration of their contracts on June 30. The list of players leaving Emirates Stadium includes a handful of first team stars as well as more than a dozen youth prospects who will now be plying their trade elsewhere next season.

Among the players waving goodbye to the club is Mohamed Elneny. The Egyptian was signed by Arsene Wenger in January 2016 and is currently the club’s longest-serving player having spent eight years with the Gunners.

The 31-year-old featured just six times last season, though, and in truth has struggled for game time under Mikel Arteta for the past few years. He has made 161 appearances for the Gunners, however, scoring six goals and assisting 10 more during that time.

In his farewell video announcing his departure, Elneny said: “Gooners, I’m here today to send you a message and to say goodbye and thank you for everything you have done for me; the love, the support and the kindness. I am really going to miss you so much and you will 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 am going to see you on Sunday at Emirates Stadium to say goodbye face-to-face. See you, Gunners.”

Another senior star to leave is Cedric Soares. Like Elneny, the right-back has struggled for game time under Arteta but did give four and a half solid years of service to the club. “What a team and what a club,” Cedric said in a statement on social media alongside a montage of his memorable moments in an Arsenal shirt.

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“When I say a team, I mean exactly that, quality in every player, the professionalism that you show and the amazing human beings you guys are, so thank you! When I say club I mean all the departments, all the staff that is constantly putting all the hard hours on and off the pitch to make it possible to fight at the highest level.

“When I say club it also means its heart and with this I mean you guys, THE FANS, that made this journey so unreal and unforgettable. So to all the fans, I thank you! You will always have a special place in my heart!”

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There had been high hopes for Reuell Walters but the young defender turned down a contract proposal from Arsenal and will also be among those to leave this summer. Amario Cozier-Duberry was another who turned down a contract offer from the Gunners and reportedly has offers from sides in Belgium, France, Netherlands and Germany.

Kido Taylor-Hart spent 13 years at the club but admitted it was “time to move on” in May, while Arthur Okonkwo was highly rated at Emirates Stadium but signed a three-year contract with Wrexham this week. The other 16 youth stars who are leaving the club are perhaps not as well known but still have bright futures ahead of them due to their undeniable talent.

The 22 players leaving Arsenal upon expiration of their contracts on June 30: Mohamed Elneny, Cedric Soares, Reuell Walters, Amario Cozier-Duberry, Kido Taylor-Hart, Arthur Okonkwo, Mauro Bandeira, Omari Benjamin, Luis Brown, Catalin Cirjan, Noah Cooper, Henry Davies, Ovie Ejeheri, Taylor Foran, Hubert Graczyk, James Hillson, Henry Jeffcott, Tyreece John-Jules, Alex Kirk, James Lannin-Sweet, Kamarni Ryan and Billy Vigar.