Report: Arsenal boss plans major clear-out; key trio could be offloaded

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Mikel Arteta could be set for a summer clearout as he prepares to wield the axe on several high profile names in his Arsenal squad.

According to The Sun, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Mesut Ozil are all at risk of being offloaded.

Arsenal are in real danger of failing to qualify for Europe next season for the first time since 1996.

If that is the case, Arteta understands that he will have to sell players in order to fund his own squad rebuilding process.

Head of Football, Raul Sanllehi, has apparently told the Spaniard that no player will be allowed to run down their deals and leave on a free.

No fewer than six senior players are out of contract in less than 18 months, including Ozil and Aubameyang.

Arsenal have become the draw specialists in the Premier League this season.

The Gunners have drawn 13 of their 25 fixtures and are currently languishing down in 10th place.

Ozil earns £350,000-a-week and Aubameyang is on £200,000-a-week.

Those wages aren’t going to be sustainable if the club doesn’t have European football to look forward to next season.

It will represent a serious blow to the Gunners if they have to offload those players.

Arsenal are currently closer to the relegation zone than they are the top four.

European qualification might hinge on their Europa League campaign, where they face a last 32 tie with Olympiacos.

TBR View – Offloading key trio might not be so bad after all

Arsenal have been underachievers for many years now and somewhere a real transition period must take place.

That time could be the summer and Arteta is the ideal man to oversee it.

Ozil hasn’t scored a goal yet this season and with Aubameyang craving Champions League football, his head might have been turned.

Getting those two off the wage bill could prove to be a blessing in disguise.

Lacazette could be worth keeping. His £182,000-a-week wage isn’t as excessive as the other two and he does have a little longer on his current deal.

Arteta keeps mentioning reverting to the Arsenal philosophy and to do that he will need a certain type of player.

If he can shift the players on big wages who perhaps have their attentions elsewhere, it should give him a substantial kitty to get the perfect players to suit his methods.