Arsenal release 22 players as part of summer overhaul including first-team stars

Arsenal have announced that 22 players from their men's, women's and academy teams will depart the club at the end of the month when their contracts expire.

Arsenal again came agonisingly close to winning the Premier League this season but eventually finished runners-up to Manchester City for the second consecutive year.

Mikel Arteta's side finished two points behind City to end the 2023/24 campaign without silverware.

Arteta will be desperate to cut that gap next season by improving his squad in the summer transfer window.

As a result, the north London club has made the decision to sever ties with several first-team players when their contracts expire on June 30.

Arsenal have confirmed Portuguese defender Cedric Soares and midfielder Mohamed Elneny will leave the club this summer.

Soares joined from Southampton in 2020 but has managed only 64 appearances for Arsenal, the majority as a substitute.

Elneny, a popular figure with Arsenal supporters, has made 161 appearances for the club and leaves eight years after joining from Basel.

Highly-rated goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, who has spent the season on loan at Wrexham, will also depart.

The following academy players have also been released; Ovie Ejeheri, Hubert Graczyk, James Hillson, Taylor Foran, Alex Kirk, Henry Jeffcott, James Lannin-Sweet, Mauro Bandeira, Catalin Cirjan, Kido Taylor-Hart, Tyreece John-Jules and Henry Davies.

While the following scholar players have also been let go; Omari Benjamin, Luis Brown, Noah Cooper and Kamarni Ryan.

Mohamed Elneny (right) will leave Arsenal this summer (Image: Getty)

Arsenal also confirmed that Sabrina D'Angelo, Vivianne Miedema and Kaylan Marckese will depart the women's team.

Meanwhile, three other players - Amario Cozier-Duberry, Karl Hein, Reuell Walters – are out of contract on June 30 but remain in negotiations with the club over new deals.

Arsenal released a statement thanking all players for their contributions to the club.

"You will always be part of the Arsenal family and we wish you all the best of health and happiness in your futures," read the statement.