Arsenal news: Eight players at risk of summer exit as manager issues Ethan Nwaneri update

Mikel Arteta and Arsenal are in pole position in the Premier League title race but could have some difficult decisions to make in the summer transfer window

After a boost in the title race in midweek, Arsenal's attention now turns to the FA Cup. The 2020 winners are up against League One side Mansfield Town, who are hoping to pull off another giant-killing after upsetting Sheffield United and Burnley away from home.

Wednesday night was potentially huge for the Gunners in the league. They saw off Brighton at the Amex Stadium thanks to an early Bukayo Saka goal while closest challengers Manchester City dropped points at home to struggling Nottingham Forest.

With eight games of their season remaining, Mikel Arteta's team sit seven points clear of City. Pep Guardiola's men have a game in hand, though, while they will also welcome Arsenal to the Etihad Stadium in April.

Whatever happens between now and the end of the season, there may well be work for the London side to do in the transfer window. Here are Mirror Football's latest lines from north London.

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Eight at risk of exit

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is one of eight senior players who could potentially leave this summer as the Gunners look to balance the books, according to The Telegraph. The club will reportedly need to offload at least one first-teamer after spending more than £200m over the summer on the likes of Martin Zubimendi, Ebere Eze and Viktor Gyokeres.

Odegaard maintains a high reputation among players and staff at the Emirates Stadium. However, there are indications the club might not rule out an exit given the help it would give the balance sheet if the £30m signing was sold for a big profit.

Youngsters Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri are among the other candidates, it has been claimed. Lewis-Skelly has dropped down the pecking order this term after a breakout season, while Nwaneri is currently on loan at Marseille.

Forwards Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard could also find themselves in danger, with Jesus and Trossard approaching the final year of their respective contracts. The list is rounded out by Ben White, who has struggled to force his way back into the first team after an injury-hit 2024/25 season.

Nwaneri 'affected' by Marseille struggles

Marseille's tricky season continued in midweek as they were knocked out of the Coupe de France. Things haven't been going completely to plan for Arsenal loanee Nwaneri at Stade Velodrome, with the club already dropping out of the Champions League and parting ways with manager Roberto De Zerbi.

Nwaneri missed the decisive penalty in a shoot-out defeat to Toulouse in the quarter-finals of the cup. The game finished 2-2 after 90 minutes, with Mason Greenwood and Igor Paixao netting for the hosts but Yann Gboho and Charlie Cresswell each delivering an equaliser.

Habib Beye, Marseille's new manager, admitted the loss had hit Nwaneri and Leonardo Balerdi the hardest after both failed from the spot. However, the Senegalese boss shook off criticism of the decision to let Nwaneri take the fifth and final penalty.

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