Another Arsenal season has gone by, and Mikel Arteta can look back on it with mixed feelings. On the one hand, his team has qualified for Europe, but it’s still a matter of what could have been when Tottenham Hotspur pipped them to a Champions League spot.
But, with little over a month until many Gunners players report to London Colney for pre-season training ahead of the 2022/23 season, there’s no time to linger on finishing fourth despite having a four-point advantage over Spurs with three games remaining.
Although it’s likely that some have already cleaned out their locker rooms at the training ground, Arteta’s revamp of the Arsenal first-team squad is anticipated to continue this summer, with permanent agreements for Matteo Guendouzi and Konstantinos Mavropanos agreed.
Three first-team players are currently out of contract at the end of next month. Nothing has been verified or acknowledged by the club yet, so it’s unclear whether Alexandre Lacazette, Mohamed Elneny, or Eddie Nketiah will go or stay.
After been observed signing a new deal following Arsenal’s 5-1 thumping of Everton at the Emirates Stadium on the final day of the Premier League season, it’s safe to conclude Elneny is the most likely of the three to stay at the club. Meanwhile, Sports Deputy is aware of the situation. A contract extension has been offered to Nketiah on several occasions, but Lacazette is unlikely to receive one.
With another hectic summer transfer window looming for Arsenal, it’s like players who are confirmed to be under contract with the club next season, such as Bernd Leno and Nicolas Pepe, as well as many members of the loan army, are expected to depart.
Following the win over the Toffees, Arteta revealed that ‘awkward’ decisions had been made regarding the futures of Lacazette, Elneny, and Nketiah. It will be interesting to see who else he has decided to sell or keep this summer. With that in mind, below is a list of Arsenal’s first-team players who are still under contract for next season.
Arsenal first-team players under contract for 2022/23
Goalkeepers: Bernd Leno (2023), Arthur Okonkwo (2024), Alex Runarsson (2024), Aaron Ramsdale (2025)
Defenders: Hector Bellerin (2023), William Saliba (2024), Pablo Mari (2024), Cedric (2024), Rob Holding, (2024), Auston Trusty (2024), Takehiro Tomiuyasu (2025), Gabriel Magalhaes (2025), Nuno Tavares (2025), Kieran Tierney (2026), Benjamin White (2026)
Midfielders: Lucas Torreira (2023), Reiss Nelson (2023), Ainsley Maitland-Niles (2023), Bukayo Saka, (2024), Granit Xhaka (2024), Martin Odegaard (2025), Thomas Partey (2025), Emile Smith Rowe (2026), Albert Sambi Lokonga (2026)
Forwards: Gabriel Martinelli (2024), Nicolas Pepe (2024), Folarin Balogun (2025)
Out of contract – decision not yet confirmed
Alexandre Lacazette
Mohamed Elneny
Eddie Nketiah
