How Arsenal’s summer clear-out provides evidence the club is heading in the right direction:

With the Daily Mail reporting that Arsenal are preparing for a summer clear out, you can’t help but feel that sense has been restored in North London. For too long now the Gunners have been rewarding failure and granting lucrative contracts to players who either weren’t good enough, or who only ever displayed potential without following through with actual performances. It strikes me that the club has arrived at a crossroads and is doing everything it can do correct the mistakes of the past.

But before Arsenal’s next great team can be built, the deadwood has to be shifted. What’s more surprising is the sheer amount of players who just haven’t made the cut over the years and who have ended up disappointing on some level.

The Mail claims to have inside information regarding the future of certain Arsenal individuals. There have been some reports that Andrey Arshavin would return to the Emirates at the end of his loan move with Zenit St. Petersburg. Thankfully they have now been put to bed – the little Russian was talented but unmotivated and the Gunners need to add more ‘fight’ to their line-up. Clearing £75k a week from the wage bill is a step in the right direction.

Then there’s Marouane Chamakh who earns a staggering £60k a week. It’s clear that he no longer adds anything to this Arsenal side and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s one of the first out the door this summer. Sure to follow are Sebastien Squillaci, Nicklas Bendtner, Denilson (who is likely to extend his loan move) and Carlos Vela who all earn £50k a week.

That’s right: Carlos Vela, a man who never really troubled Arsenal’s first team earns more in a week than most of us do in a year.

Manuel Almunia is also set to leave and the sooner his £60k a week is stricken from the wage bill the better.

Just think how much money this would clear up for the Gunners to invest in proper signings. Though most of these players will elicit pretty meagre transfer fees, this money, combined with the money freed up from the wage bill can go some of the way towards making Arsenal’s fully competitive once more.

From then on it’s all about rewarding the right people with new contracts. The Mail reports that the Gunners are looking to reward Robin Van Persie with a new contract that would see him earn £120k a week, Alex Song with a new contract and will also attempt to tie down Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for longer with newly improved terms.

Whilst it’s hard to disagree with any of these decisions, I’d also like to see Theo’s name added to the list. He’s going through something of a renaissance this season and could still blossom into a quality player. He offers the Gunners real width and pace so I’d be sad to see him go.

Whether or not there’s any truth to the Mail’s story, you can’t help but feel that Wenger has finally embraced the need for change. He’s surely felt let down by these players over the last couple of seasons and is hopefully ready to incorporate more experienced, quality signings into his transfer ideology. With a good summer in the bag, who knows what Arsenal may achieve?

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