Arsenal players out of contract – 2022/23
A busy summer beckons at Arsenal in the wake of what could prove to be a watershed campaign in north London.
The Gunners‘ exponential growth in 2022/23 thrust them into title contention a season after missing out on the top four, but a stuttering epilogue ensured the season ended with Manchester City predictably holding their third-straight Premier League title aloft.
Despite the absence of silverware, it was a season laden with memories following years of toxicity. A fresh culture has been bred at the Emirates, and Mikel Arteta has facilitated an atmosphere that players want to be a part of.
As a result, the Gunners have little to be concerned about on the contracts front this summer, especially after Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and Aaron Ramsdale each penned long-term extensions.
In fact, just a couple of players are set to become a free agent by the time the 2022/23 season draws to an official close on 30 June.
|
Player |
Date joined |
2022/23 Apps |
Contract details |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Reiss Nelson |
Academy |
18 |
No option (new contract reportedly offered) |
|
Ainsley Maitland-Niles |
Academy |
27 |
One-year option rejected |
It’s likely that Nelson will not be a free agent come the end of June. Negotiations over an extension go back to March and recent chatter suggests the winger could get a multi-year deal.
Nelson’s party have long discussed a new contract with the club, but the Gunners were previously willing to only offer the Hale End graduate a short-term deal. And despite failing to register a single Premier League start in 2022/23, Nelson has seemingly done enough in his cameo appearances off the bench to garner Arteta’s trust moving forward.
The 23-year-old was a regular at the start of the club’s Europa League campaign, and many clamoured for his inclusion in the Premier League XI towards the end of the season, especially after Martinelli picked up a season-ending injury.
Nelson notched five Premier League goal contributions in 2022/23, the most notable of which – his last-minute winner against Bournemouth – will live long in the memory.
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While Nelson is set to stay in north London, Maitland-Niles‘ departure has already been confirmed.
Arsenal had the option to extend the versatile defender’s contract by another year but they’ve opted against it, so Maitland-Niles will become a free agent on 1 July.
The Englishman initially played regularly for Mikel Arteta after he succeeded Unai Emery as manager, but the player’s positional demands saw him fall out of favour and he’s been sent out on loan three times since the start of the 2020/21 season.
It’s been clear for a while that he has no future at Emirates, and it’s unclear where he’ll end up this summer after spending 2022/23 on loan at Southampton.