Mikel Arteta has been warned that William Saliba could join Real Madrid on a free transfer (Image: GETTY)
Ian Wright believes could lose three of their best players on free transfers unless the Gunners start showing more ambition in the market.
The north Londoners will almost certainly be forced to settle for second place yet again, having lost crucial ground in the Premier League title race against West Ham last weekend.
It gave the opportunity to move 11 points clear at the top of the table, which they did by beating away from home.
‘s fading title bid has fuelled criticism of their inactivity in the transfer market, namely their failure to sign a forward in the January window.
Ian Wright believes that key players could run down their contracts and move elsewhere (Image: GETTY)
They currently find themselves without a recognised striker following injuries to and Gabriel Jesus. It has led to Mikel Merino, a natural midfielder, being forced to lead the line out of necessity.
Wright believes ‘s lack of ambition in the market could lead to key players running down their contracts and moving elsewhere.
He named William Saliba, who has been linked with a future move to Real Madrid, among those who would attract interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
“When you’re talking about renewals with certain players, [Bukayo] Saka, Gabriel [Magalhaes], Saliba, the way they’re moving now, I bet those renewals are all going to be slow,” said Wright on the podcast.
“We’re going to have a situation maybe like with Trent [Alexander-Arnold], [Mohamed] Salah and Virgil [van Dijk].
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“If I’m one of these players, and their teams are going to be saying: ‘Let’s wait and see, we’ve got two years left so let’s wait and see who they get in the summer. I know the manager has signed again but let’s wait and see’.
“Look at Saliba, Real Madrid would take him tomorrow. ‘Why not wait and see what’s going on in the summer to see the kind of players and calibre of player we’re signing?’. This is what the people upstairs need to be careful of.
“I’m sure Mikel [Arteta] will have told them because he’s probably got the same kind of ambition: ‘If you’re not going to give me the kind of players I need, I’m not going to be able to keep the players I’ve got here that are our best players, who are now running down their contracts’.
“We haven’t even got into that conversation yet about these players. This summer and who comes is f****** vitally important to these players. There’s a lot going on right now that needs to be unpacked by these people upstairs and they better get it right.”