Two Hale End stars could now be sold by Arsenal this summer for one serious reason

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Arsenal may find that they are forced to offload Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah this summer. 

It was a quiet January transfer window for Arsenal, with no senior players arriving or leaving the Emirates Stadium. 

The main reason for this inactivity was a lack of transfer funds, or rather an inability to spend the money they did have freely. 

The Gunners invested heavily in the recent summer transfer window, bringing the likes of Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber, and David Raya to the club.

Given the constraints of Financial Fair Play (FFP) and Premier League spending rules, Arsenal could not keep on splashing the cash until significant sales were made to recoup some of the club’s losses. 

As no major outgoings were completed this winter, Arsenal may well find themselves still under FFP pressure come the summer.

This is a threat that Mikel Arteta, sporting director Edu, and the rest of the north London club’s hierarchy need to take very seriously. Everton were found to have breached Premier League spending guidelines earlier this season, and were deducted ten points as a consequence. The Merseyside club have since been charged with a financial offence for a second time, along with Nottingham Forest.

With the Premier League coming down hard on clubs that they deem guilty of financial mismanagement, it is more important than ever that Arsenal keep their spending in check and generate as much as they possibly can in sales. 

Should Arsenal let Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah go?

As such, according to The Athletic, the north London club may be forced to cash-in on Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson this summer, in order to comply with FFP regulations.

The pair both came through the club’s Hale End academy system, and are established members of Arteta’s first team squad. Nketiah, in particular, has been heavily involved this season. The 24-year-old striker has made 29 appearances across all competitions, chipping in with 6 goals and 5 assists. Three of his strikes came in one match, as the once-capped England ace registered his maiden Premier League hat-trick against Sheffield United earlier on in the campaign.

However, Nketiah remains firmly behind Gabriel Jesus in the pecking order, and doubts have been raised about his ability to step up to the very highest level.

Equally, Nelson has only featured 18 times for Arsenal this season, and is yet to make a start in the Premier League. With Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Leandro Trossard all preferred options to the winger, he will likely find that his opportunities are limited for the rest of the campaign.

Being homegrown English talents with their peak years still ahead of them, Arsenal should be able to fetch a decent price for both Nketiah and Nelson. If letting them go allows the Gunners to spend freely in the market once again, it is a worthy sacrifice. From the players’ perspectives, moving on this summer to pastures new where they can hope to start games regularly would also be the best move for them.