Ayto can finally win Arsenal fans over by axing Edu’s terrible signing

The atmosphere around Arsenal at the moment is not a positive one.

Mikel Arteta’s side have come painfully close to lifting the Premier League title for the last two seasons, and it seems that, yet again, they’ll have to make do with a third-place finish.

The club have done brilliantly to build a team capable of challenging for major honours over the last few years, but to ensure they can get over the line at the fourth time of asking next season, some significant changes need to be made in the summer.

Interim Sporting Director Jason Ayto can make an impression on the fans by overseeing several game-changing signings, as well as some big exits, and making sure the club does not pursue another deal for one of their biggest disappointments this season.

The Arsenal players who look set to leave

So, with a squad wholly overhauled from the one Arteta took charge of in 2019, a few big-name players look set to leave this summer, chief among them Thomas Partey.

The former Atlético Madrid star joined the Gunners for around £45m in October 2020 and has made 153 appearances thus far, in which he’s scored eight goals and provided seven assists, and his £200k-per-week contract is set to expire on June 30th.

The Ghanaian has endured a mixed five years in the capital, as while he has been brilliant for much of his time with the club, he’s also dealt with consistent injury problems that have seen him miss 81 games for club and country, and while he’s remained relatively injury-free this season, that concern will always linger, so it remains to be seen if he’ll be offered an extension or not.

His midfield partner, Jorginho, who joined the Gunners from cross-city rivals Chelsea for just £12m in January 2023, is also set to see his £110k-per-week contract expire at the end of June.

The Italian ace has been a handy player to have in the squad and has often stepped up for the biggest games, but according to reports, it looks like he’ll also be waving goodbye to the Emirates faithful come the end of the season.

Finally, while the likes of Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko could also leave, the final permanently contracted player currently at the club this season who is sure to leave upon the expiration of their contract in the summer is Kieran Tierney.

The Scottish international has signed a pre-contract with Celtic, who he left to join the Gunners in 2019, and while his importance to the team has dramatically decreased in recent seasons, he remains a popular player among the fans for his undeniable work ethic and evident quality.

Unfortunately, there is another player in the squad who cannot be described in the same way, a player Ayto has to ensure is the first out the door this summer and not offered another deal.

The Arsenal flop who must be axed as soon as possible

With the season quickly unravelling for Arsenal, it has to be said that several first-teamers could be described as flops this year, such as Martin Odegaard or Leandro Trossard, for example.

However, when it comes to the most disappointing player of them all, it has to be Raheem Sterling.

The Chelsea loanee was a deadline-day addition in the summer, and while he told the fans that they would “see the best” of him, they have seen nothing but.

In all, the 82-capped Englishman has made 20 appearances for the North Londoners, in which he’s scored a single goal and provided two assists, which is an average of a goal involvement every 6.66 games.

Moreover, he had to be taken off against Leicester City last week due to him being so ineffective, which, considering how poor the Foxes have been, is rather damming and supports Connor Humm’s assertion that his loan move has been an “absolute waste of time and money” for the club.

Now, even though Arteta has a previous relationship with the winger and the fact it would be incredibly easy and cost-effective to bring him back for another year to fill up the squad, Ayto and Co simply cannot do that, as he’s shown he can’t hack the Premier League anymore and such a decision would cause outrage among the fanbase.

Fortunately, we imagine that even though they were foolish enough not to sign anyone last month, the board probably wouldn’t be foolish enough to do that, especially when getting rid of him as soon as possible would likely win at least some fans back onside.

Ultimately, after missing out on the title for a third season in a row, Arsenal have a considerable summer of rebuilding ahead, and alongside the likes of Partey and Jorginho, Ayto has to make sure Sterling leave the Emirates.