By Stephen Simon
Arsenal football club have begun a significant summer squad overhaul, confirming that 15 players across their academy and women’s team will leave the club when their contracts expire at the end of the month.
The decision marks one of the most notable end-of-season clear-outs in recent years at the North London club, affecting both emerging talents in the academy system and established figures in the women’s setup.
In the men’s academy, eight players will depart as Arsenal continue to streamline their youth structure and sharpen the pathway toward senior football.
Among them is right-back Josh Nichols, who has already agreed a move to Croatian side NK Kustosija. Nichols had been viewed as one of the more promising defenders in the youth ranks and even trained regularly with the first team, making his senior debut in last season’s League Cup win over Bolton.
Goalkeeper Alexei Rojas, another player who featured around the senior squad environment, will also leave, alongside Sam Chapman, Harrison Dudziak, Seb Ferdinand, Cam’ron Ismail, Will Lannin-Sweet and Samuel Onyekachukwu.
The departures reflect Arsenal’s ongoing approach to academy management, where only a select number of young players are retained long-term while others are encouraged to seek first-team opportunities elsewhere.
In the women’s team, seven players will also depart following the expiration of their contracts, including several high-profile names who have played key roles in recent campaigns.
Those leaving include Laia Codina, Katie McCabe, Beth Mead, Victoria Pelova, Barbora Votikova, Naomi Williams and Manuela Zinsberger, all part of Renee Slegers’ squad transition as the club reshapes its women’s team for the upcoming season.
The scale of the exits has already sparked discussion among supporters, with many viewing the turnover as part of a broader reset aimed at maintaining competitiveness across domestic and European competitions, while others see it as the end of an era for several popular players.
Behind the scenes, Arsenal are understood to be balancing squad renewal with contract management, ensuring space for new arrivals while maintaining financial and structural stability across both teams.
However, not all departures are finalised.
Contract talks remain ongoing with Caitlin Foord, while discussions continue over the futures of academy players Aleksander Marciniak and Joshua Ogunnaike, leaving a few uncertainties in an otherwise busy summer clear-out.
The changes signal a decisive period of transition at Arsenal as both the men’s and women’s teams prepare for the new season, with further movement expected as the transfer window progresses.
