Arsenal 'planning five-player summer transfer exodus' to fund major spending spree

Arsenal could allow up to five players to leave this summer to fund a major spending spree, including academy graduate Emile Smith Rowe, according to a new report.

Smith Rowe emerged as a key player for the Gunners during the early days of Mikel Arteta's reign, establishing himself in the side towards the end of 2020.

He effectively announced himself in English football when he scored during Arsenal's 4-0 away win at West Brom in December of that year, having spent the previous campaign on loan at Championship side Huddersfield.

In the following 2021/22 season, Smith Rowe netted 10 goals in 34 appearances in the Premier League, although saw his game time reduced in the second half of the campaign.

This term, the 22-year-old has been restricted to just 10 league appearances, with one assist and no goals to his name.

That is mainly due to a groin injury he suffered in September, which forced him to miss almost four months of action.

He returned in January, before suffering another setback after the 1-0 win over Tottenham which meant he didn't play another game for a further seven weeks.

Although he returned to fitness in March, Smith Rowe is still yet to start a Premier League match this season, often coming off the bench.

And now a new report claims his footballing future could be elsewhere.

Arsenal 'planning summer transfer departures'

According to the Daily Mail's Sami Mokbel, Smith Rowe is one of five players that could leave the Gunners this summer as Arteta looks to add funds to his summer budget to go after targets such as West Ham's Declan Rice.

Alongside the 22-year-old attacking midfielder, it is claimed that Kieran Tierney, Folarin Balogun and Rob Holding could all leave the club.

Balogun, in particular, has attracted a large amount of interest, with the 21-year-old having smashed in 18 goals during a loan spell with Ligue 1 side Reims. PSG, AC Milan, Inter Milan and RB Leipzig have all been linked with making a move for the forward, who may decide to leave should he not be offered first team opportunities at Arsenal.

Furthermore, Mokbel claims that Reiss Nelson has rejected a new contract at the club, and he could also depart amid interest from fellow Premier League side Brighton.