Arsenal are plotting to offload Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Mesut Ozil in the summer, it has been claimed.
The former Borussia Dortmund playmaker is facing an uncertain future with the club as Mirror reported that boss Unai Emery is keen to sign four new players in the summer.
As a result, Mkhitaryan, along with fellow midfielder Mesut Ozil have been seen as players who might be offloaded in the summer as Arsenal look to fund moves for their transfer targets when the transfer window reopens in July.
Arsenal plot the sale of Ozil and Mkhitaryan: The right choice by Emery
It’s probably fair to say that Arsenal haven’t enjoyed the best of seasons, despite the arrival of Emery, who was tasked with the responsibility of replacing Arsene Wenger.
The Spaniard has somewhat struggled to properly lay down his footballing philosophy and build a cohesive unit at the Emirates this season. And the biggest reason why is he has lacked resources, as Arsenal have struggled with injuries this season.
Mkhitaryan, for one, has featured in just over 1,150 minutes of league football, notably suffering from a metatarsal fracture that kept him out for almost two months earlier this campaign.
And while the Armenian has shown glimpses of his brilliance, at times, he has largely struggled with inconsistent form upon return to full fitness. For instance, Mkhitaryan was involved in five goals in February but was wasteful in the draw with Tottenham and was left out of the squad in the win over Manchester United earlier this month.
Therefore, the sale of Mkhitaryan could make sense but Arsenal certainly need to be wise in choosing their desired replacement for the Armenian.
As for Ozil, he certainly needs to go after failing to integrate himself into Emery’s tactical philosophy at Emirates this season.
The German has often looked out of pace as his work ethic has been questioned once again, and has been outshone by Aaron Ramsey for the most part of the campaign. As a result, Ozil has mustered only 1,269 minutes of league football, which is highly unacceptable for a player of his calibre.
Moreover, the former Real Madrid star reportedly has weekly wages £350,000 and it’s no secret that Emery wants him off Arsenal’s wage bill next season.
All things considered, Arsenal could definitely benefit from the sale of Mkhitaryan and Ozil as both the players have, one way or another, have proved ineffective under Emery and could also free up a lot of transfer funds, given their hefty wages.