Arsenal have confirmed the departures of first-team players Mohamed Elneny and Cedric Soares. The pair will leave the club upon the expiration of their contracts on June 30.
Elneny joined Arsenal in the 2016 winter transfer window from FC Basel for a fee reported to be between £5 million and £7.4 million. The 31-year-old made his debut in a 2–1 win over Burnley in the FA Cup later that month, becoming the first Egyptian to play for the Gunners.
The Egyptian midfielder made just 33 starts in the Premier League during his first four seasons in North London. Due to his lack of game time, he was loaned out to Besiktas in the Turkish Super Lig for the 2019-20 season.
Following a successful loan at Besiktas, Elneny returned to Arsenal and made a further 26 starts over the next four seasons. Reduced to a fringe player, he made just a single start in the Premier League in the last two seasons.
Cedric initially moved to Arsenal on loan from Southampton in January 2020, before signing a permanent contract as a free agent that summer. The 32-year-old defender made 27 starts for the Gunners in the Premier League before moving to Fulham on a six-month loan deal in the second half of the 2022-23 season.
The Portugal international has not been in Mikel Arteta’s plans for the past few seasons, failing to make a single start in the Premier League for the Gunners in the last two years.
With both players not up to the standard for the current Arsenal squad, they will be searching for clubs that will give them regular game time. For the Gunners, their departures help clear deadwood and free up the wage budget.
Arsenal have also confirmed the exits of youth players Arthur Okonkwo, Tyreece John-Jules, Kido Taylor Hart and Hubert Graczyk.
