6 players who need to leave Arsenal this summer | OneFootball

Arsenal's 2023/24 season may not have yielded any trophies, but it did reinforce their presence as the real deal towards the top of the Premier League.

Mikel Arteta has made the Gunners perennial title contenders again, but he needs a little more quality in his squad if he's to get them over the line and win a major competition.

It's become apparent over the last two years that there are certain players Arteta simply doesn't trust in big games or key moments. If you're to go toe-to-toe with Manchester City, you can't have passengers along for the ride and you have to be ruthless with your squad building.

Here are six players who should leave Arsenal for their own sake and that need moving if the Gunners are to win the Premier League this season.

Aaron Ramsdale

Ramsdale is out of favour at Arsenal / Justin Setterfield/GettyImages

The permanent signing of David Raya from Brentford should all but signal the end for Aaron Ramsdale at Arsenal.

Which is a great shame, even from a neutral's point-of-view. Ramsdale enjoys a fine relationship with the club's fanbase and his conduct after being dropped for Raya last year was widely praised.

He isn't a world-beater, but Ramsdale is too good to simply sit on the Emirates Stadium bench. Another team who will love and appreciate him should come along any day now.

Kieran Tierney

Whooooo remembers Kieran Tierney? / Quality Sport Images/GettyImages

Did you forget Kieran Tierney was an Arsenal player? You probably forgot Kieran Tierney was an Arsenal player.

Once again, this is the sign of the Gunners' growth rather than anything against a clearly talented player, but Arsenal are now way beyond the need for the Scotland international.

Tierney spent last season on loan at Real Sociedad but it seems unlikely that he will return there, given the Basque side recently signed Sergio Gomez from City.

Thomas Partey

Time to go / James Gill - Danehouse/GettyImages

You know at the top how we talked about Arteta losing trust with players? There's a lot to say he should have none remaining for Thomas Partey.

Whenever the Ghanaian played down the final stretches of the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons, he was often the one Arsenal player lacking any sort of composure, the one making bad decisions under pressure.

That title drought isn't going to end if he keeps getting meaningful minutes. Arsenal need upgrades in midfield.

Emile Smith Rowe

Smith Rowe hasn't kicked on in recent years / Catherine Ivill - AMA/GettyImages

By the end of the 2021/22 season, Emile Smith Rowe looked certain to be a star for Arsenal and England for the rest of the decade.

But he just hasn't progressed as many would have hoped. The midfielder has battled various injuries and not done enough to win back a spot in Arteta's regular selection, often playing only handfuls of minutes here and there.

His last goal for Arsenal came all the way back in a 4-2 win at Chelsea back when the Blues were still under sanctions from the UK government due to Roman Abramovich's ownership and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Which, you know, was pretty long ago.

Smith Rowe is a supremely talented footballer and one of the Premier League's most fun to watch on his day. He just needs an opportunity to spread his wings again.

Fabio Vieira

Vieira too has stagnated / Catherine Ivill - AMA/GettyImages

In the summer of 2022, Porto sold two of their most highly-rated talents - Vitinha to Paris Saint-Germain, and Fabio Vieira to Arsenal.

Gunners fans must be livid seeing Vitinha's fabulous progress at PSG compared to the stop-start flashes Vieira has provided so far.

Once more, this is an outgoing based on ruthlessness. If Vieira still isn't providing now, he might not ever on Arsenal's current trajectory.

Reiss Nelson

Nelson's role has remained limited / Catherine Ivill - AMA/GettyImages

Arsenal fans will never forget Reiss Nelson's last-gasp winner against Bournemouth in March 2023 that for all the world seemed they would be heading for the title.

Nelson received a new contract that summer, but he has still not been able to make his way up the Arsenal pecking order. With the Gunners in the market for forwards, Nelson stands little chance of making an impact from here on out.