Arsenal manager Unai Emery has urged Shkodran Mustafi and Mohamed Elneny to leave the club before the closure of the European transfer window.
The duo have been deemed surplus to requirements at the Emirates this season, with both players having been linked with a move away.
Arsenal boss Emery has now given an honest assessment of the future of both players, making it clear they are not part of his plans and urging the pair to leave for the sake of their careers.
“We have some players and they know their situation. For example, Elneny and Mustafi, they know their situation in the squad,” Emery said in his pre-match presser.
“I want the players to be happy here, I want the players to be protagonists here, and last year, for example, with Mustafi and Mo, when they didn’t play, they weren’t happy.
“I spoke with them a lot of times last year in this position and I think it is positive for them to leave and to sign for another team where they can be protagonists, they can be happy and can continue their careers as players.
“They are very big players but here for one circumstance or another circumstance they are going to have less chances to show their capacity or to be happy with us taking minutes of playing matches.
“They know the situation, I am wishing the best for them and I think now the best for them is to be protagonists in another team, to sign and to get another challenge for them and continue with another team.
“But with [a lot of] respect, they are training with us but they know their situation and I am wishing only the best for them.”
Emery urges Arsenal play with ‘big ambition’ against Liverpool
See also – Five Premier League players who could still be offloaded before the European transfer window closes
