Arsenal may have to sell at least one first-team player in the summer transfer window after spending big in a bid to finally end their 20-plus year wait for a Premier League title.

The Gunners have backed Mikel Arteta significantly in the market in recent seasons after re-establishing themselves as title contenders under the Spaniard. But their outlay in previous windows now means that important first-team players may have to be sacrificed at the end of the current campaign.

The Telegraph say that Arsenal's total outlay on transfer fees for the last financial year, which amounted to £268million, means sales - and difficult decisions - will now be required.

Martin Odegaard, the Arsenal captain, is one star that the club may consider selling as they weigh up which players would be able to bring lucrative offers to the table, it's said.

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The Norway international will have two years remaining on his contract at the end of the campaign and, as such, holds value in the transfer market. The report notes that, after spending five years at the club, selling Odegaard for a significant transfer fee would represent a major profit under the current Premier League and Uefa spending rules.

Two other players touted as 'strong candidates to leave' are Gabriel Martinelli - who joined the Gunners for just £7m back in 2019 and as such also holds a low book value - and Ben White, who was signed for £50m from Brighton two years later.

Other clubs have sold academy graduates to help balance the books in the past. Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri are two stars currently not in Arteta's team who could be sacrificed.

Kai Havertz - like Odegaard - has two further years remaining on his contract and would likely command a significant fee. Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus will both be in the final year of their respective deals when the season ends and may be put up for sale if the club decide against offering them fresh terms.

After spending significantly last summer, including £67.5m on Eberechi Eze and a further £63.7m on Viktor Gyokeres, Arsenal are running out of time to raise funds from player sales after making a net loss on player sales the year before.

The club are already committed to spending a further £45m to make Piero Hincapie's loan transfer from Bayer Leverkusen into a permanent one, while further incomings also likely regardless of whether or not Arsenal win the title.

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