Here are your Arsenal evening headlines for Monday, March 8.
Lamptey undergoes hamstring surgery
Tariq Lamptey has undergone surgery on a hamstring injury that will likely prevent him from playing again this season.
The Athletic reports that Lamptey, who has dealt with the issue since mid-December, underwent surgery at the weekend and will not make his return to training until shortly before the end of the season, meaning that he is unlikely to feature in a competitive match again.
football.london understands that Lamptey has been monitored by Arsenal as a potential successor to Hector Bellerin, though it remains to be seen whether the current injury impacts those plans or not.
Bellerin asked to leave last summer but agreed with Mikel Arteta that he would remain with the club for another season. He has been linked with a return to Barcelona.
Venkatesham joins European Clubs Association
Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham has been invited to the executive board of the European Clubs Association.
The association represents Europe's 214 clubs and Venkatesham will replace former Gunners head of football Raul Sanllehi as Arsenal's representative.
"We’re delighted that Vinai has been appointed to the European Clubs’ association board," said Arsenal in a statement to football.london.
"The ECA represents clubs across Europe and is central to helping shape the future of the game with UEFA and FIFA."
Transfer prospects of Hale End graduates
As Arsenal look to raise funds to complete transfers this summer, they could look to sell several of their Hale End graduates this summer, as Chris Wheatley assesses for football.london.
The potential sale candidates out of Hale End include Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Joe Willock, who lined up against each other on the weekend while playing on loan at West Bromwich Albion and Newcastle United respectively, and Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson, both of whom have fallen out of the first-team set-up in north London in recent weeks.
Maitland-Niles and Willock are slightly older and seem to have obvious players ahead of them in the midfield pecking order. Wheatley writes that they are clear sell candidates this summer.
Nketiah, meanwhile, has a year remaining on his contract and a decision must be made on his future imminently.
Nelson has the highest ceiling of the quartet, especially if Maitland-Niles remains unwilling to commit to right-back, but is currently playing for the under-23s.
The talented winger likely requires a loan move next season to prove he can produce regularly in the Premier League.
