Report: The three defenders that Arteta is likely to sell in the summer

The 2019/20 Premier League season will continue when it is safe to play and the summer transfer window will then open immediately as some matches of this campaign could be played in months of July and August. The transfer window will certainly still take place despite the COVID-19 chaos and so we take a look at three Arsenal defenders that Mikel Arteta is likely to let go.

Mikel Arteta was appointed as the new head coach of Arsenal in December, 2019 and these last few months have shown everybody the type of football that he wants to play and the players that would excel and those that don’t fit in his system. Arsenal have many defenders on their books and so we take a look at three defenders that Arteta is likely to sell in the transfer window.

1. SOKRATIS PAPASTATHOPOULOS

Sokratis Papastathopoulos joined Arsenal in the 2018 summer transfer window and he was their best centre back last season but he has however been poor in this 2018/19 campaign, which has seen most say that his age might be catching up to him as he has failed to have a consistent run of great performances.

Arteta’s arrival at Arsenal has seen Sokratis’ season turn from bad to worse as it’s been clear that the new boss wants centre backs that are good on the ball while the Greek international is an old school type of defender. Mustafi who was heavily criticized last season is starting ahead of Sokratis as he can manage to play the way Arteta wants. So Sokratis Papastathopoulos could be on his way out of Arsenal in the summer.

2. AINSLEY MAITLAND-NILES

Ainsley Maitland-Niles has mostly played as a right back throughout his Arsenal career but he has however continually been saying that he believes that he is a central midfielder. Bellerin’s injury at the start of the season meant that he would once again play as a right back and he played there poorly, and then later got replaced by Calum Chambers.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles looked to be happy and comfortable in the right back position when Mikel Arteta got appointed but it looks like that wasn’t the case as after a few appearances, the new Arsenal boss started leaving Maitland-Niles out of the matchday squads and was then later questioned why he did this, the Spaniard explained that the attitude of the 22-year-old was why he was no longer getting chances. So Ainsley Maitland-Niles career at Arsenal could be ending soon as the new boss hasn’t been happy with his attitude.

3. ROB HOLDING

Rob Holding looked great in Unai Emery’s three at the back system last season but he however suffered a knee injury that kept him on the sidelines for the rest of the season. Holding was not fit to play when the 2019/20 season begun and only came back later on in the campaign but he has however not looked the same as he has made mistakes in his fee appearances.

It also hasn’t been a secret that Mikel Arteta isn’t a big fan of him as the English centre back is yet to start in a game ever since he got appointed as the boss. Holding has also been missing out on a number of matchday squads and so he could be among the people who leave the club in the upcoming transfer window.