NICOLAS PEPE could be the next big name to leave Arsenal for nothing.
The Gunners are ready to ditch the £72million record signing and even fear having to pay in order for him to go.
Arsenal are ready to let Nicolas Pepe leave the club in the summerRex
AlamyMikel Arteta has seen a number of players leave the club for nothing since taking over[/caption]
If Pepe does leave Arsenal this summer, the Gunners will have lost £340million worth of signings without making back a penny in the time since Mikel Arteta took over.
While things on the pitch are looking rosy with Arsenal top of the Premier League, off the pitch Arteta has not been afraid to flush out big names on big contracts.
Since he took over in 2019, ten players have left the club for nothing.
And here they are…
Mesut Ozil
Signed for £42.5million in 2013, Mesut Ozil spent seven-and-a-half years at the Emirates.
His contract was terminated six months early in 2021, but the playmaker still helped the Gunners to four FA Cups in his 254 appearances for the club.
German World Cup winner Ozil retired from professional football earlier this month.
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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
After being stripped of the Arsenal captaincy in December 2021, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang left for nothing just weeks later.
Like Ozil, he also had his contract ripped up early and agreed to leave the club by mutual consent, initially joining Barcelona before moving on to Chelsea last summer.
Alexandre Lacazette
French striker Alexandre Lacazette followed Aubameyang out of the door five months later.
After joining the club in 2017 for £47million, he was allowed to leave for nothing when his contract expired last summer.
GettyPierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette both left Arsenal for nothing within six months of each other[/caption]
Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Henrikh Mkhitaryan joined the Gunners in part of the swap deal that saw Alexis Sanchez head to Manchester United.
He was shipped off to Roma on loan 18 months later, and joined the Italians permanently the following campaign when his Arsenal contract was cancelled by mutual consent in September 2020.
Shkodran Mustafi
German defender Shkodran Mustafi had his contract cancelled by mutual consent in February 2021.
He initially joined the club for £35m in 2016, winning the FA Cup twice and making 151 appearances for the club.
Sokratis Papastathopoulos
Yet another to have his contract cancelled early by mutual consent, Sokratis Papastathopoulos left Arsenal in January 2021.
Now at Greek side Olympiacos, the 34-year-old made 69 appearances for the Gunners in two-and-a-half years at the club.
APSokratis Papastathopoulos and Shkodran Mustafi both had their Arsenal contracts cancelled by mutual consent[/caption]
Sead Kolasinac
Left-back Sead Kolasinac had his contract ripped up and left by mutual consent in January 2022, allowing him to join French club Marseille.
The 29-year-old played 118 times for the Gunners after joining from German side Schalke in June 2017.
Hector Bellerin
Long-time Arsenal servant Hector Bellerin spent ten years at the Emirates before leaving in Septemer 2022.
He had his contract terminated by mutual consent and joined Barcelona after spending the season before on loan at Real Betis, and is currently on loan at Sporting from Barca.
GettyHector Bellerin left Arsenal on a permanent deal in September 2022 after having his contract terminated[/caption]
Calum Chambers
Versatile defender Calum Chambers joined Arsenal from Southampton in 2014.
He spent seven-and-a-half years at the club before completing a free transfer to Aston Villa in January 2022
David Luiz
After leaving Chelsea for a second time, Brazilian defender David Luiz spent two seasons at Arsenal from 2019-2021.
He left the Emirates for nothing when his contract expired at the end of the 2020-21 campaign, winning an FA Cup in his 73 appearances for the club.