Twelve recent Arsenal first team rejects that have found glory after leaving (including Xhaka of course)

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·25 de maio de 2024

Twelve recent Arsenal first team rejects that have found glory after leaving (including Xhaka of course)

Of course, all the headlines will be about Mbappe’s final games for PSG, but from a Gooners perspective, some might be interested to know that Ainsley Maitland-Niles has a likely chance of starting for Lyon against the French champions in today’s Coupe de France, although maybe not in the position he wants.

This could be the 26-year-old’s third medal of his career and his second since winning the 2020 FA Cup. His teammate, Alexandre Lacazette, is looking to lift the same cup he raised over a decade ago with his boyhood club. Lacazette has scored 53 goals in his second spell in France, becoming the club’s all-time greatest scorer.

Vídeos OneFootball

This is the same week where Sead Kolasinac added the UEFA Conference League to his CV.

There’s often a lot of talk within our fanbase about how poor a squad Mikel Arteta inherited when he returned to the Emirates. That’s often used to justify him being allowed to terminate contracts and why finishing 8th and 5th should be viewed as ‘progress.’ By that logic, have Spurs and Chelsea ‘progressed’ this season? That doesn’t seem to be the view shared by Ange Postecoglou or the majority connected to Stamford Bridge.

Of course, the current version of Arsenal is as good as it’s been in decades, but this is about giving more respect to those who have contributed to our history. The Gunners have won 14 FA Cups since their existence, and the class of 2020 contributed to one of them—the last trophy the club won—while several players have gone on to lift more trophies since.

Martinez (GK) 2021 Copa America 2022 World Cup

After 12 years of being patient in North London, the keeper wanted assurances about his future before agreeing to extend his contract with Arsenal. It was unrealistic to expect any manager to give guarantees, and Arteta was happy for Martinez and Leno to share game time, believing competition would bring out the best in both.

The Argentine should have had the self-confidence to back himself and prove that he was better than the German. Given the money invested in the position since, a compromise would have worked for all parties.

The 31-year-old has become a national hero with Argentina, with their Copa America and World Cup wins built on his penalty saves. He’s become famous for being an expert at stopping spot kicks, particularly through his dark arts and game management.

Something happens to his personality on the pitch because off it, he seems quite a sensitive and emotional young man. Go back and watch his post-match FA Cup Final interview.

Maitland Niles (RB, LB, DM) UEFA Conference

After loan spells (and relegations) at West Brom and Southampton, Maitland-Niles returned to Arsenal having burnt bridges while not becoming the midfielder that only existed in his mind. Only the 26-year-old knows if he could go back in time and listen to Mr. Wenger, Unai Emery, and Arteta, who saw his best position as a full-back.

That was the role that saw him starting Cup Finals for his boyhood club and getting capped by England. How many kids would bite your hand off for that? If Jose Mourinho doesn’t view you as a DM, then you need to be listening. The Roma boss selected Maitland-Niles only eight times and didn’t bring him on in the UEFA Conference League Final.

Any top sports professional should back their ability but also be smart enough to listen to the experts. Thierry Henry, Lauren, Toure, and others all put pride aside to learn a new role.

As recently as January, Lyon wanted to offload Maitland-Niles six months after leaving England. under new management, he’s played more often and could feature in the Coupe de France showpiece, just not in midfield. He could end up with three medals from three different countries.

Kolasinac (LB) Europa League

Spent the last few months of his time with the Gunners knowing full well his employers wanted him elsewhere. Arsenal practically tried to let Schalke keep him for free after a loan to Germany, but after relegation, they couldn’t afford to make the deal permanent. So, six months later, they eventually agreed to release him once Marseille made it clear they’d be willing to take on his salary. Not the first or last time the French club would benefit from us wanting talent off the wage bill.

He’s played a lot more frequently in Italy than he did in France or his last year in England. Atlanta was relieved he overcame an injury to play in Wednesday’s Final where he played the full 90 minutes. If you said when we released the defender that years later, he would be playing in the Champions League, how many people would believe you?

Luiz (CB) Copa do Brasil Copa Libertadores Campeonato Carioca

It says so much about the man’s personality that his two best games as a Gunner were the Semi Final and Final of the FA Cup. After that, like many South Americans, he chose to spend the last few years of his career back in his homeland. He’s won three trophies back in Brazil.

Bellerin (RB) Copa del Rey

To prove our loan policy was based on getting players off the wage bill rather than giving them a chance to impress the manager, Bellerin played 32 times for Real Betis, winning the Copa Del Rey for his boyhood club. His reward? His contract was ripped up. He deserved a better sendoff, considering he had moved to the UK as a teenager, grown into a man in London, and contributed to their FA Cups.

Now, can you see why I get angry when players like Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson get pay rises?

Ceballos (CM) 2 la Liga Champions League Club World Cup Super Cup Copa Del Rey

He had a solid loan spell with us, but no one lost any sleep over his stay not being permanent. The 2022-23 season was his breakthrough year in Spain, playing 46 games in Madrid, easily the most he played for Real in one season. That earned him a contract extension. Mostly though, he has been a squad player during the club’s successful period, still waiting for age to catch up to Modric or Kroos. Some reports suggest he’s committed the sin of verbally agreeing to join Atletico!

Xhaka (CM) Bundesliga

Granit was not really a reject, but his success should be noted. Said it before, if this were a movie, some would say Xhaka deserved to get the last laugh on a section of our fan base. At one point, the midfielder was leaving the UK because of the scale of abuse he and his family were receiving. Some wished death on his wife and a desire for his daughter to be diagnosed with cancer. Those people don’t deserve the happiness of seeing any trophies lifted.

While in Germany, Xhaka has been rewarded for his good decisions and has been validated to be himself, refusing to change who he is. I said in the summer it was a mistake for a young dressing room to let one of its few leaders leave. A partnership of the Swiss captain and Rice would have won us the title. He lost his first game for Leverkusen only this week. He could win the German domestic double this weekend.

Pepe (RM) African Cup of Nations

I will never think good man management is to take an asset and simply give him away because you have given up on him, not when you’re being paid to get the very best out of the resources you have. Contributing to 9 goals in 28 games in Nice doesn’t warrant you being released at the age of 27. How can that happen in the same summer when Reiss Nelson gets a pay rise? The Ivorian contributed to 8 goals in Turkey. His highlight of the season, though, was winning the Africa Cup of Nations. He featured in every game for the hosts barring the Semi-Final and Final.

Aubameyang (Striker) La Liga

For factual accuracy, it’s important to note that the 2022-23 season was easily the least productive of Aubameyang’s career, managing only 3 goals in 21 games for Chelsea. By the time winter came, the striker was excluded from the club’s Champions League squad. The irony is that the worst year of his career was the same one where he received his highest accolade. Before his move to Stamford Bridge, the 34-year-old had played only 9 minutes for Barcelona. According to the rules of La Liga, this qualified him for a winner’s medal when the Catalans went on to win the League. His contribution had actually been greater in the second half of the campaign before, when he scored 13 times in 23 games. That was when Arteta was giving Barca a goal scorer while we were missing out on 4th place because of our lack of having a goal scorer.

Torreira (DM) La Liga Super Lig Turkish Super Cup

Certainly, the player’s homesickness during his time in North London was a significant issue. His father pleaded with Arsenal to morally do the right thing and financially facilitate the Uruguayan’s ability to play for a club in South America so he could be close to his family, especially after the death of his mother during COVID-19. Despite this desire to be close to home, his journey has taken him through Spain, Italy, and now Turkey.

Although he was mostly on the bench when Atletico Madrid won La Liga, his loan to Fiorentina was designed to cover his wages while winding down his contract. Galatasaray brought him in for just 5.5 million, where he has since won the Domestic Double.

Sokratis (CB) 2 x Super League

For the final 6 months as a Gunner, the defender was paid to sit at home. A manager should get the best out of the resources he has, not pay a player to do nothing, especially when you’re playing Kolasinac in a back three and finishing in our worst position for a quarter of a century.

Having regretted the wages that some players had been offered, every trick was being used to make a player feel so miserable they would eventually accept their contract being ripped up. That included not submitting the centre-backs for the domestic or European squads.

Again, if this were a movie, the Greek returning home to win back-to-back championships, feeling valued again, would be seen as a happy ending, while Arsenal could be viewed as getting what they deserve for a lack of class… nothing.

Good luck to Xhaka, Maitland Niles and Lacca this Saturday

Dan

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