Cech bounced as Emery begins cull
Unai Emery is weighing up the future of five of his Arsenal flops, claims Metro, after the Gunners’ disastrous start to their league campaign.
Not since the inaugural season of the Premier League in 1992/93 have Arsenal lost both their opening games and the pressure is rising at the Emirates ahead of Saturday’s visit of West Ham.
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Defeat to the Hammers is likely to lead to Emery taking an axe to his squad and those whose heads could be on the block are Petr Cech, Mesut Ozil, Danny Welbeck, Rob Holding and Mohamed Elneny. Metro claims the 36-year-old Cech won’t be “persevered with for much longer” and he could be gently led to the knacker’s yard as Bernd Leno takes possession of the number one shirt.
Elneny for ‘Boro?
With teenage prodigy Matteo Guendouzi the one positive for Arsenal fans this season, the future of Egypt international Elneny looks increasingly bleak. The 26-year-old’s questionable work ethic “will not be tolerated by Emery”, says Metro, and it’s expected that Championship side Middlesbrough will take the midfielder on loan this season with a view to making the deal permanent at the end of the season.
Holding not up to scratch
The 22-year-old defender was another of Arsene Wenger’s bizarre buys in the last years of his dictatorship, and it looks like the former Bolton blocker’s days at the Emirates are numbered. Left out of the squad for the Chelsea game, Holding is expected to be “offloaded to the Football League on loan”.
Welbeck to Turkey
As has been widely reported in recent days, Welbeck’s injury-ravaged Arsenal career looks to be ending with a whimper, with Metro repeating rumours that the England striker will be loaned to Galatasaray in the next week. With Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Alex Iwobi, Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang above Welbeck in the pecking order he’s unlikely to be seen again in an Arsenal shirt.
All over for Ozil?
Gary Neville believes that Emery has already tired of Ozil’s work-shy attitude and has begun to ease him out of the Emirates. The former Germany international was hauled off midway through the second half against Chelsea following another anonymous game to go with his dire display the previous week against Manchester City. Neville told Sky Sports: “[Emery] said to Mesut Ozil in the lead up to the second game you’ve got to work harder. That’s the first time I’ve publicly heard anyone call Mesut Ozil out - and that’s after one game. Second game he hooks him and subs him. He’s working him out. He’s saying if you don’t want to press, if you don’t want to do what I’m saying you’ll be out of the team.”
Ramsey stand-off
As for the future of Aaron Ramsey, the Daily Mirror reports that Arsenal “are refusing to give in” to the Welshman’s contract demands. The midfielder wants to double his wages at the Emirates in the final year of his current deal but according to the tabloid “the two parties remain some way apart and Arsenal insist they will not be held to ransom over the contract”. Nonetheless the club is quietly confident that Ramsey will tone down his request and commit his future to the club.
