Arsenal: The one man that can’t be sold this summer

There are a lot of moving pieces at Arsenal these days, but even so, with the summer transfer window approaching, there is one man that is 100% not for sale.

Mikel Arteta‘s first summer in charge at Arsenal is going to be massive. He already showed what he’s capable of with the resources that we have, and with finding sneaky signings in the winter window, but coming up this summer, he is going to have the flexibility to make a lot of moves in both directions.

There are a lot of players on this club that I know fans would hate to see go. I’m among them. I have a list of guys we should be holding onto, either because I personally like them, or because I think we are better off with them than without.

But on my list of “these guys can absolutely not be sold” there is only one name. Which doesn’t make it much of a list, I realize. But regardless. His name is Bernd Leno.

Leno has been the only guy on this club who I have had 100% confidence in all year. Even last year. When he made mistakes, I shrugged them off and knew that he was better than that, and that he would come back stronger.

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I don’t have that faith in any other player on this club. Not one. Now, again, there are players I’d rather not see leave. Matteo Guendouzi and Gabriel Martinelli obviously top that list. Granit Xhaka. The new signings we haven’t seen enough of yet.

But on the explicitly do not sell list? Bernd Leno and Bernd Leno alone. You cannot replicate what he’s become in this side and to necessitate doing so would be such a waste of time and resources.

I have no problem with selling some of our high profile players. Mesut Ozil, Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could all be sold, I don’t mind. If we sold guys like Lucas Torreira, or Sead Kolasinac, I’d be bummed, because I like them and find them extremely valuable, but I would shrug and look to who’s coming in to replace them.

Not Leno though. Leno is the most criminally underrated keeper in the world. He did his time solidifying his spot. To go with anyone else now is foolishness of the highest order.

Rumor has it bids will be coming for him this summer. Get ready to hack those away with a machete.