Several Arsenal players need to leave this summer – it's for the good of their careers

Arsenal legend Alan Smith believes Aaron Ramsdale, Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson need to leave the club in order to reignite their careers.

The ex-forward has also stated the club could be in favour of shifting the trio in a bid to balance the books. Smith thinks that while Ramsdale could likely get a move to most Premier League clubs to boost the club's bank balance, Nketiah and Nelson could especially command hefty fees having come through the youth ranks and therefore are classed as homegrown.

The former England international argued with all three finding their time on the pitch limited last season, they'll be growing frustrated warming the bench and could now have their heads turned. While he sees all still having a lot to offer, their departures could work for both club and player Smith has said, as Arsenal will be looking to swell their transfer war-chest this summer.

He told Lord Ping: "I think there are several players at Arsenal that must move on for the good of their careers. Ramsdale does not want to be sitting on the bench all season again, does he? He’s said as much in a recent interview."

England international Ramsdale, 26, joined the Gunners from Sheffield United in 2021 and enjoyed time as Arsenal's undisputed number one for two seasons until Mikel Arteta opted to sign David Raya from Brentford. Raya's arrival has had a severe impact on his time between the sticks, making just 11 appearances across all competitions last season.

And Smith holds the belief that he can keep goal for most top-flight clubs, adding: "Ramsdale is good enough to occupy the number one spot in the Premier League for somebody, whether it's a top four club is another matter."

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Smith also thinks that the arrival of Kai Havertz has greatly affected Eddie Nketiah, with the striker now looking like he is surplus to requirements at the Emirates Stadium. Nketiah did make 37 appearances for the Gunners last season and even netted an impressive hat-trick in a 5-0 win over Sheffield United, but Smith is of the opinion that limited time on the pitch will have the 25-year-old thinking twice over whether to commit his future to the club.

"Eddie Nketiah used to get 20 minutes quite regularly the season before this one, but since Havertz has come in, that's not happening anymore," Smith said. "It’s a shame for him because I do like him. He's come through the ranks and he's a good finisher but with so little game time I'm sure now he'll want to start really getting his career going."

Nketiah may be a certainty to leave through the exit door this summer but England under-21 international Reiss Nelson's situation is entirely more complicated. Nelson signed a new deal at the Gunners only a year ago, putting pen to paper on a long-term deal, but despite making 23 appearances for the club during the 2023/2024 campaign he only made one start.

Upon signing the contract extension, which is expected to run until 2027, Arteta was effusive in his praise for the 24-year-old, possibly casting doubt on Nelson leaving Arsenal any time in the near future.

"Reiss knows how important he is to our squad with the quality he has," Arteta said at the time. "It's great that Reiss has committed his future to us - he knows this club so well, he grew up here and we look forward to enjoying many more good moments with him."

However, ex-Gunners striker Smith isn't convinced in Nelson having a long-standing future at the club. He also believes the Arsenal hierarchy could see the midfielder as a way to generate funds, especially with young English players commanding big fees in the Premier League.

"Reiss Nelson is in a very similar situation. He needs to be playing regularly now," Smith argued. "From Arsenal's point of view, it is an advantage because these youth team players can command good fees that, as we know with the financial regulations, are regarded as pure profit because they come through the academy."

The Sky Sports pundit asserted that if the Gunners were to follow Chelsea in sanctioning transfers for some of the youth teamers it may not have the same impact on them as the likes of Connor Gallagher's departure would have on the Blues should he leave Stamford Bridge this summer.

"Chelsea are trying to do that to offset all of their incomings," he continued. "Connor Gallagher and Trevoh Chalobah are the players that they are rumoured to be open to moving on. Selling them, Gallagher in particular, would have a much bigger impact on Chelsea than it would if Arsenal sold Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah."

The 61-year-old also thinks it's likely that the Gunners could be at a turning point when it comes to splashing out in the transfer market and that a balancing of the books could be in order for Arteta to continue spending heavily, adding: "From a financial point of view, Arsenal have spent a lot of money over the last few windows, and they would need to sell in order to invest as heavily as they want to."