CONTRACT TERMINATIONS AT ARSENAL . A SOURCE OF WORRY OR STROKE OF GENIUS?

Latest news indicate that the club has terminated Nicolas Pepe’s contract, making the ninth big-name player to have his contract terminated by Arteta and Edu.

Is this signifying a bold statement from Arteta or commanding negotiating prowess from Edu?

Since taking over as Arsenal’s manager in December 2019, Mikel Arteta has shown a determination to reshape the squad to fit his vision. This includes letting go players who don’t align with his tactical approach or those not performing to expected standards.

The decision to terminate contracts has been significant, with the following big-name players already released:

Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Willian

Sokratis

Shkodran Mustafi

Mesut Ozil

Sead Kolasinac

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Hector Bellerin and now

Nicolas Pepe

These players commanded huge fees, case in point Pepe, who cost the club £72m. Arsenal equally paid for terminating their contract, tho, club sources will say Arsenal got these players off their wage bills because they hadn’t justified their huge pay. But, releasing players with little or nothing recouped should be checked.

Pepe ended a dissapointing 3 year spell at Arsenal, moving to Trabzonspor

Aubameyang’s had his contract terminated, got a move to Barcelona, only for Barcelona to sell him for £10m six months later. Barcelona also got to sell Bellerin for just £1m but they still got something for him rather than nothing.

Arsenal over the years has struggled to command huge fees over their players, their biggest sale being just £40m, despite having buying players of £72m and £105m, Edu should be doing better.

Speaking last July, Edu said: “If a guy is performing and has a big salary, that’s not a problem. When the player is 26-plus, big salary and he’s not performing, he’s killing you. You don’t have a valuation to sell the player, the player is comfortable. Arsenal, London, is beautiful, everything is fantastic and has a good salary.

“How many players with that kind of characteristics did we have in the past? 80 percent of the squad. Try to avoid one more year with the problem in the dressing room. Take it out. Even if you have to pay because that guy is sometimes blocking someone.”

Edu must learn from Barcelona or Manchester City’s. Over two seasons ago, Man City sold more fringe players, players that couldn’t get into their first eleven, and academy players for a certain amount of money. James Trafford left City for Burnley for close to £20m while Edu and Arsenal allows a full international leave for free with a termination fee.