17 players leaving Arsenal today including Thomas Partey as Mikel Arteta rebuild takes shape

Arsenal are set to release 17 players on Monday as their contracts expire, with a number of high profile first-team squad members to leave the club

A host of Arsenal players will bid farewell to the club on Monday. In total, 17 players will be saying their goodbyes to the Emirates Stadium due to their contracts expiring on June 30. The list of departing stars includes several high-profile first-team squad members, as well as promising young talents yet to make their mark on the game.

Among those set to depart is Thomas Partey. The Ghanaian international was a regular fixture in the first team during the 2024/25 season and Mikel Arteta had expressed his desire for the midfielder to stay.

However, no agreement has been reached over an extension and Partey is now poised to leave the club as a free agent. The former Atletico Madrid player has not yet officially posted a goodbye message to fans, and the club has not confirmed his departure, leaving a slim chance that an extension could be announced this week.

As it stands, however, Partey will not be playing his football at the Emirates next season. One senior star who is definitely leaving is Kieran Tierney. The left-back quickly endeared himself to fans after joining from Celtic in August 2019 and went on to make 144 appearances for the club, even scoring in his last appearance against Southampton on the final day of last season.

“It’ll be hard but it’s a happy goodbye,” said a sentimental Tierney as he prepares to rejoin Celtic on July 1, reflecting fondly in his farewell interview. “I’ve loved it here, loved every minute of it. There are countless memories that are amazing for me; your debut is always special, and winning the FA Cup as well in the first season. It’s a great team, and I’m so close to some of the boys in there. I’ve been here a long time, so it’ll be sad but a happy goodbye.”

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Arsenal’s loan signings Raheem Sterling and Neto wave goodbye, as they head back to Chelsea and Bournemouth respectively after a season at Emirates. Sterling found the net just once during his 28 appearances for Arsenal, whereas backup keeper Neto only appeared four times behind David Raya.

Despite the buzz surrounding Nathan Butler-Oyedeji following his debuts in the Champions League and Premier League, the promising forward is set to leave Arsenal with speculation linking him with clubs around Europe. The 22 year old’s future lies away from north London after limited opportunities this past season.

Penning a heartfelt farewell on Instagram, the player expressed: “Dear Arsenal fans. After 14 years at this club my time at Arsenal has come to an end. I would like to thank firstly God for giving me the opportunity to realise my dream for playing for Arsenal. I want to extend my appreciation to the first team, my parents, all coaches, physios, chefs and cleaners and teammates I’ve worked alongside with and most importantly the life blood of the club, the fans.

“I want to thank everyone who has supported me along the way through my hardships and through my good times. Arsenal will always hold a special place in my heart as being a boyhood Arsenal fan it was a dream come true to make my debut for the club. I will always be a part of the Arsenal family. I look forward to where my journey takes me next.”

Jimi Gower, aged 20, had the honour of his name appearing on the bench multiple times throughout the 2024/25 season, similarly to Jack Henry-Francis, 21, who is set to say his own goodbyes after a nine-year tenure with the squad. Khayon Edwards, another promising talent at 21, moves on after an impressive run in the Under-21s, where he netted 12 goals and dished out three assists across 21 matches – certainly catching the eye of prospective clubs.

Meanwhile, other departing young guns may not share the same limelight but are no less talented, with bright futures predicted thanks to their evident skill.

The 17 players set to depart Arsenal when their contracts expire on 30 June are: Kieran Tierney, Thomas Partey, Raheem Sterling, Neto, Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, Khayon Edwards, Jimi Gower, Jack Henry-Francis, Brian Okonkwo, Ismail Oulad M’Hand, Salah-Eddine Oulad M’Hand, Elian Quesada-Thorn, Jakai Fisher, Reece Clairmont, Romari Forde, Max Kuczynski, and Zacariah Shuaib.

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