Arsenal have been proactive in both their transfer dealings as well as their contract renewals, and Edu Gaspar deserves a lot of credit alongside Mikel Arteta.

Manager Arteta and sporting director Edu Gaspar have turned Arsenal into title challengers, and there is still a slight possibility that the Premier League trophy could stay at the Emirates this season.

Regardless of what happens on the final day, Arsenal are expecting a busy transfer window. Popular players such as Aaron Ramsdale and Emile Smith Rowe could leave, with Arteta’s squad moving past them, but there may be further sales to make way for incoming talents.

Arsenal have also renewed several key contracts, with Jorginho the latest player to sign a new deal, and Edu has expressed his delight that the club have tied down their best talents.

Edu Gaspar praises Arsenal contract renewals, but Oleksandr Zinchenko is absent

Speaking to The Athletic, Edu highlighted how Arsenal have managed to improve their squad year on year, and claimed that they have now given new contracts to every player they believed needed one.

“Every season and every window we are striving. We are always looking to add quality and improve the elements that were missing. When we started we signed a lot of different characters to build a good foundation,” he stated.

“We have renewed 100 per cent of the players we wanted to renew. Players don’t want to leave anymore, which makes my life easier. We changed the dynamic. Players want to be at a place where they can challenge for big things. They love it.”

There is one notable absentee in this sense, as Oleksandr Zinchenko has just two years remaining on his contract, and there are reportedly no talks open yet over a new deal, with his future now hanging in the balance.

Could Arsenal sell Oleksandr Zinchenko this summer?

Zinchenko has been criticised this season, as defensive lapses in concentration have raised questions over whether his supreme ability on the ball now justifies his place in the back line.

Arsenal do rate Zinchenko highly, as one of the level-raising signings Edu and Arteta made, joining from Man City for £32m as a four-time Premier League winner.

“We brought in players like Gabriel Jesus and Alex Zinchenko to bring special impact. Then we started the next push which was needed with the new signings last summer. As soon as you understand what you need and get the support of the club you really feel that is going to increase the performance of the team,” Edu stated of the two former Man City players in the squad.

Zinchenko made a huge impact in his first season, but with Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jakub Kiwior sometimes preferred to him, as well as Jorrel Hato potentially coming in, a decision may need to be made this summer.

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The Ukrainian has been linked with Bayern Munich, and with two years left, the 27-year-old’s value may never be higher. If Arsenal intend to keep him, they would need to extend his deal soon, but Edu’s comments suggest that this is not something they have in mind for the immediate future.