Two further players appear set to depart the club this summer, with both Daniel Boateng and Nigel Neita set to be let go when their contracts expire at the end of June. The duo will join a whole host of players from Steve Gatting’s U21 squad who will see their stays at the club come to an end at the season’s denouement, as Arsenal seek to push several of their current first-years into the second-string set-up.

Centre-back Boateng earned rave reviews whilst rising through the ranks at the club’s Hale End Academy, and made his first-team debut in last season’s Carling Cup victory over Bolton Wanderers. The imposing defender, who is adept at bringing the ball out from the back, has failed to make an impact during loan spells with Swindon Town and Oxford United, however, and despite being a regular at second-string level for over three years, has probably already played his last game for the club.

Neita, meanwhile, earned a surprise call-up to the senior Jamaican national team last season, but that achievement belied the fact that the striker went almost two calendar years without scoring a competitive goal before finally breaking his duck away to Reading U21s this season. The hard-working and skilful attacker often struggles to make a sustained impact during matches and is not considered to be anywhere near the quality required to make the grade at Arsenal.

Sead Hajrovic is likely to be granted an extended stay, but fellow centre-back Elton Monteiro is currently mulling over the future as he considers whether he’ll receive greater first-team opportunities elsewhere. The Portugal U19 international made the bench for Arsenal’s Champions League group-stage tie with Olympiacos this season after improving tremendously having initially struggled during the start of his spell in North London. However, he remains some way off the first-team picture, with Hajrovic and Isaac Hayden considered brighter prospects, and is currently leaning towards deciding to leave the club.

If all three players were let go then it would take the number of released players to 12, with Martin Angha, Kyle Ebecilio, Craig Eastmond, Sanchez Watt, Josh Rees, James Shea, Samir Bihmoutine, Conor Henderson and Zach Fagan also poised to be let go, in addition to Andrey Arshavin and Sebastien Squillaci from the first-team squad.