Arsenal are ready to sell an “exceptional” player, as he has now expressed a concrete interest in leaving this summer, according to a report.

Arteta blames red cards and injuries for lack of success

The Gunners managed to sign off on a high at the Emirates Stadium, securing a 1-0 victory over Newcastle United to secure Champions League football next season, but there will be major disappointment about the fact they have once again missed out on a trophy.

In the end, Liverpool ran away with the Premier League title, with Mikel Arteta‘s side set to finish second for the third season on the spin, and there has been widespread debate about why they have been unable to get over the line.

Gary Neville has questioned the decision not to sign a striker, which means Mikel Merino has been leading the line since February, but Arteta has provided a different explanation for his side’s lack of success.

When asked why the north Londoners have come up short once again, the Spaniard told Sky Sports: “Red cards and injuries, for sure.”

“But without that, we don’t know what would have happened. “Would we have been much closer? For me, the answer is without a question, yes.”

Injuries have no doubt been a major issue for the Gunners, with Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel all spending prolonged periods on the sidelines, and the latter’s absence has meant an increase in game time for Jakub Kiwior.

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There has been a development in the Gunners’ pursuit of their “number one target”.

However, according to reports from Italy (via Sport Witness), Kiwior’s time at the Emirates Stadium could be coming to an end, with Arsenal now ready to cash-in on the defender for a fee of €35m (£29m) this summer.

There is widespread interest in the centre-back from Italy, with Napoli, AC Milan and Atalanta in the race, and the 25-year-old has now expressed a concrete interest in leaving.

“Exceptional” Kiwior impressing Arteta

Gabriel’s absence has not been ideal for the Gunners, with the Brazilian missing the Champions League quarter-finals and semi-finals, but the Poland international was solid in both legs against Real Madrid, limiting the reigning European champions to just one goal.

Arteta has been left impressed by the back-up defender too, saying: “He deserves a lot of credit because he hasn’t played too much throughout many months. He has suddenly been thrown into the most difficult context playing at the highest level when you haven’t had the physical rhythm or confidence. He’s been exceptional.”

Most recently, the former Spezia man put in a commanding performance against Newcastle, achieving the highest SofaScore match rating of any player after making a number of important defensive contributions.

As such, it would be a bonus if Arsenal are able to retain Kiwior beyond the summer, but his recent performances mean they may be able to achieve a sizeable fee for the defender, and they should not stand in his way if he is eager to leave.