Two Arsenal midfield stars could leave the club this summer despite Mikel Arteta having made a commitment about one of them.

It is likely to be a busy summer for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta will be keen to strengthen his squad in a number of key areas, but will have to make space on his roster before fresh blood can be brought in to the Emirates Stadium.

Thirteen Arsenal players have been mooted as potential candidates to leave the club at the end of this season, with Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira both amongst that number. 

Neither Smith Rowe or Vieira have been able to make much of an impact in North London this season.

Journalist James McNicholas has now had his say on what Arsenal might have in mind for the pair.

Speaking on the Handbrake Off podcast, he said: “I think both these players would probably be available for the right price this summer. Smith Rowe, I think, is probably the likelier to go because, you know, there is that kind of premium attached to home-grown talent. I think from an FFP perspective it’s really beneficial to Arsenal to sell a guy who is an academy player.”

Mikel Arteta claim about Emile Smith Rowe could be undone

Arteta has insisted that Smith Rowe remains in his plans, promising that he would feature more heavily following his return to full fitness. However, that has not turned out to be the case. Since mid-December, the Hale End academy graduate has made just eight Premier League appearances, only two of which have come as starts.

In total, across all competitions this season, the 23-year-old has been afforded just 18 outings. He has mustered just two assists in that time, but in a similar story to last season, he has failed to find the back of the net entirely. 

There can be no doubting his talent. The three-cap England international has impressed in the Premier League before. However, injuries have seen him fall down the pecking order and his Arsenal career has now stagnated. 

As a home-grown player, many Arsenal fans would be sad to see Smith Rowe go. Despite Arteta’s declaration of faith in the player though, a fresh start elsewhere may be exactly what he needs.

Does Fabio Vieira still have a future at Arsenal?

Similarly to Smith Rowe, Vieira has also been something of an outcast at Arsenal this season. He also saw the middle of his season impacted by injury.

The Portuguese midfielder has plenty of talent. Aaron Ramsdale recently hailed Vieira for his technical ability. However, he has failed to ever impress on a consistent basis since his arrival from Porto in the summer of 2022, and has looked physically lightweight at times.

Whether both Vieira and Smith Rowe would be allowed to leave this summer remains to be seen, but it would be no surprise to see at least one of them depart should an appropriate suitor come forward.