According to Metro, Alan Smith has urged three Arsenal players to seek new clubs this summer "for the good of their careers" amidst the club's efforts to strengthen their squad for the upcoming Premier League season.
Smith, who enjoyed a prolific career at Arsenal, scoring over 100 goals during his time in north London, believes Aaron Ramsdale should be among the trio of departures before the new season commences. Ramsdale, who has seen his starting position taken by David Raya under Mikel Arteta, has attracted interest from Newcastle United, although a deal has yet to materialize due to Arsenal's valuation.
"Aaron Ramsdale does not want to be sitting on the bench all season again, does he? He’s said as much in a recent interview," Smith commented to LordPing. "Ramsdale is good enough to occupy the number one spot in the Premier League for somebody."
Similarly, Smith highlighted the plight of striker Eddie Nketiah, who struggled for regular game time last season despite showing promise in previous campaigns. Nketiah has drawn interest from several English clubs, with Fulham reportedly willing to pay £30 million to secure his services.
"Eddie Nketiah used to get 20 minutes quite regularly the season before this one, but since Kai Havertz has come in, that’s not happening anymore," Smith observed. "It’s a shame for him because I do like him. He’s come through the ranks and he’s a good finisher but with so little game time I’m sure now he’ll want to start really getting his career going."
Smith also pointed out the situation of Reiss Nelson, stressing the importance for the young winger to find regular playing time to further his development.
"Reiss Nelson is in a very similar situation. He needs to be playing regularly now," Smith noted. "From Arsenal’s point of view, it is an advantage [to sell home-grown players] because these youth team players can command good fees."
Amidst Arsenal's pre-season preparations in America, they are gearing up to commence their 2024-25 Premier League campaign against Wolves on August 17. The club faces the dual challenge of strengthening their squad while potentially offloading players to fund further signings in the transfer market.