Mikel Arteta ready to sell three Arsenal centre-halves this summer

Mikel Arteta is willing to listen to offers for three of his current central defenders this summer, including Rob Holding.

The 24-year-old had been one of only a handful of players to have significantly improved under the management of Unai Emery before a cruciate knee ligament injury ended his 2019/20 season prematurely.

Holding made his return to first team action in September but has made only eight subsequent appearances and has made just a solitary start since Mikel Arteta was appointed as Emery’s successor back in December.

David Ornstein, speaking on the Athletic’s Ornstein and Chapman podcast, revealed Arsenal will consider bids for Holding who cost just 2.5million when Arsene Wenger recruited him from Bolton in the summer of 2016.

Sokratis Papastathopoulos, whose current contract expires next year, may also be deemed surplus to requirements while, despite having improved dramatically under Arteta, Arsenal could entertain offers for Shkodran Mustafi.

The Gunners would be unable to come anywhere close to breaking even on the Germany international, who cost £35million when he was bought from Valencia four years ago, while the player hinted last week he was keen to stay and continue his development under Arsenal’s ‘little professor’.

He said: ‘He’s a little like a professor. He knows exactly where he wants the players to be when on the ball and how to react when losing the ball. It’s very special.

‘When I pass I am usually only focused on where to be if we lose the ball but he wants me to contribute offensively too. So we constantly need to make an option for the player on the ball.’

William Saliba will return imminently from his loan spell at Saint Etienne, while David Luiz will be retained despite last week admitting he would like to end his career at Benfica.

Pablo Mari arrived on loan in January from Flamengo but the Gunners are almost certain to sign the Spainiard permanently, especially given Calum Chambers is likely to remain on the sidelines until September following a serious knee injury.

Arteta is also reported to be on the lookout for a new left-back that would allow Bukayo Saka to flourish in his favourite position on the wing with Ajax’s Nicolas Tagliafico said to be a £20million target.

MORE: Jeremie Aliadiere tells Matteo Guendouzi to ‘grow up’ after bust-up at Arsenal’s winter training camp

MORE: Bacary Sagna admits Arsenal’s fear of bigger teams stopped them winning the league

Follow Metro Sport across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Source: Metro News UK