Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil, Jack Wilshere and the Arsenal stars running out of contract at the Emirates… and FAST
Football Whispers run down the six players who could be leaving the Gunners on a free if they don't pen a new deal
ALEX OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN is set to join Chelsea after refusing to sign a new deal with Arsenal.
But he isn’t the only contract rebel whose future at the Emirates is uncertain.
Key players Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez – who both joined the Gunners for more than £30million – also have less than 12 months left on their existing deals.
And there are a number of other players in the first-team squad approaching the end of their contracts at Arsenal.
Our friends at Football Whispers look at whether any of them will be there for the 2018-19 season?
Check out the full list below...
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Alexis Sanchez
THE Chilean has twice been named Arsenal Player of the Year since arriving from Barcelona in July 2014.
There is no doubt Arsene Wenger wants to keep him at the Emirates, telling Sky he hoped the forward would sign a new deal less than a week ago.
“We are in a very simple state, he has one year to go and I want him to stay. And if possible, during the season, extend the contract,” the Frenchman said.
"I've dealt with this kind of situation many times, because when we built the stadium we had such restrictions on the financial front, and we weren't too much in a position where we had a choice to make a decision to sell.
"We are hopefully going to a future where we will be much stronger on that front.”
Yet the player is a Manchester City transfer target and he has turned down a £300,000-a-week offer to stay with his current side in North London.
Sanchez wants a move away and it would be a massive surprise to see him wearing an Arsenal shirt in 12 months time.
Mesut Ozil
SINCE his arrival in the Premier League, the German has been often accused of failing to turn up in big matches and looking disinterested when Arsenal are losing.
His woeful performance in the Gunners’ 4-0 loss to Liverpool on Sunday didn’t help prove his doubters wrong.
But despite the criticism he has received, Ozil was named Arsenal’s Player of the Year in 2016. And there is no doubt he is talented.
He has been linked with a move back to Germany with Borussia Dortmund, but Arsenal want to give him a new contract.
It would be a major PR disaster if they lost both Ozil and Sanchez and the German is much more likely to be at the Emirates next season than his Chilean team-mate.
Jack Wilshere
JUST two years ago, Wilshere was tipped as the future of English football by legendary Barcelona midfielder Xavi.
“With all respect, he doesn’t play the English way,” he said.“He has an excellent passing range, an ability not to lose the ball, it is clear that he has had his education at Arsenal.
For many years now the one position England have not struggled with is world-class midfield players. [Paul] Scholes, and then more recently [Frank] Lampard and [Steven] Gerrard.
“Now I see Wilshere as the future of English football, that is why it is so important they keep him fit.”
Since that praise, Wilshere has been dogged by injuries.
He has returned from a loan spell at Bournemouth to find himself behind Aaron Ramsey, Granit Xhaka, Mohamed Elneny and Francis Coquelin in the pecking order.
While it will be a wrench to part with someone who has come through the club’s academy, it would surely be better for the player to get game time if he wants to have a chance of getting back into the England squad.
It would be a surprise to see him still with the Gunners in 12 months time.
Santi Cazorla
THE former Villarreal and Malaga man hasn’t featured for Arsenal since October after picking up an ankle injury.
Despite that, the Gunners took up an option to extend his contract by an extra season after it was up in June.
Cazorla is a fan favourite and was voted Player of the Year in his first season at the club.But he will be 33 in December and surely isn’t a long-term option for Arsenal.
However, if he shows quality when he returns to first-team action, he could well earn himself another short-term deal at the Emirates.
Kieran Gibbs
LIKE Wilshere, Gibbs has come through the academy at Arsenal and has also fallen out of favour at the Emirates.
Now 27, he needs to move on to get first-team action with Sead Kolasinac, Nacho Monreal and Hector Bellerin all ahead of him at left wing-back.
There is no chance he will be at the Emirates next season, with the Gunners keen to offload him this summer so they can get a fee for him.
Gibbs is a West Bromwich Albion transfer target and Tony Pulis wants the deal closed before the transfer window shuts.
Joel Campbell
A FORGOTTEN man at Arsenal, Campbell is still currently part of the squad at the Emirates.
Since joining in 2011, the Costa Rican has had five loan spells away from Arsenal, but did spend the 2015-16 season at his parent club, making 30 appearances and scoring four goals in all competitions.
Sending him to Sporting Lisbon on loan last season was a sign that Wenger doesn’t believe Campbell is of the level necessary for Arsenal.
But he is currently injured and that could stop him leaving this transfer window.
If Campbell is registered in Arsenal’s Premier League squad, he could have a chance to prove that he could have a long-term role to play for the Gunners.