Three players who have 10 games to save their Arsenal careers, including £32m transfer and 15-goal forward

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Arsenal have a big summer ahead of them in the transfer market.

Andrea Berta is expected to be appointed as the club’s new sporting director imminently and the Italian will have a lot on his plate in his first six months in N5.

The Gunners need at least two attacking players to bolster Mikel Arteta’s forward-line, while at least one midfielder and a back-up goalkeeper are also required.

Meanwhile, there are several players Berta must move on this summer, and he may even have to sanction a significant departure to fund the incoming signings.

With that in mind, here are three players who have to show why they have a place in Arteta’s squad for next season, over the final ten or eleven matches of the campaign.

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Leandro Trossard

Leandro Trossard has frustrated fans in recent months, and his output has taken a significant hit this season.

Scoring six goals and providing seven assists throughout the entire campaign in all competitions, it appears the Belgian winger may be past his best and starting to decline.

Not unusual for a 30-year-old, the former Brighton man has to show that he’s still got the quality and athleticism to contribute at this level in the upcoming months.

Otherwise, Trossard is almost certainly one that could be on the chopping blocks, with Saudi interest and a 2026 contract expiration date making him a desirable sale for Arsenal this summer.

Gabriel Martinelli

Similarly to Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli has struggled for Arsenal this season, scoring just seven times in all competitions.

While his campaign has been disrupted by a few injuries, he hasn’t shown that he can come close to replicating the electric 15-goal year he produced in 2022/23.

Saudi clubs are also circling around Martinelli, and it would be difficult for the Gunners to reject a lucrative offer from the Middle East if it did come in.

However, one of the Brazilian or Trossard will likely remain at the Emirates, and the 23-year-old has an opportunity to stake his claim if he can fend off pressure from his left-wing counterpart and make the position his own before the end of the season.

Mikel Merino

Despite only signing for a reported £32 million last summer, Mikel Merino’s place in the Arsenal squad is already in jeopardy.

While the Spaniard is doing an adequate job as a makeshift striker while Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are out injured, he doesn’t have a long-term role in this position, with a marquee new centre-forward signing expected this summer.

Meanwhile, Merino hasn’t impressed in midfield, with his best attributes arguably making him a strange fit for Arteta’s system.

Martin Zubimendi is expected to sign for Arsenal in the summer and form a trio with Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in the middle of the park, leaving Merino with no clear place in the team.

An exceptional run-in could change that.