The Player Each Top Six Premier League Team Needs To Sell

Last week I wrote an article about a signing that could make each top six Premier League club, with the exception of Liverpool, title contenders. That article did well so I am following that up with the player that each top six Premier League club needs to sell, and I will include Liverpool in this one. If you want to read the other top six article, you can find it here. Of course, now that I write this, Liverpool got smashed 4-0 by Manchester City.

The top six teams refer to Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City.

Arsenal: David Luiz

Arsenal have a lot of players that they need to unload, such as Shkodran Mustafi, Granit Xhaka and Mesut Özil. Özil makes the most sense to get rid of financially, as he makes 350,000 pounds-around 440,000 USD and 390,000 euros- a week. However, David Luiz must be considered the club’s biggest flaw.

Luiz is the club’s fifth biggest earner, behind Özil, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Nicolas Pepe. He makes more than Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Matteo Guendouzi and Gabriel Martinelli combined, and yet plays like he would be fifth-choice at Notts County. The worst part is that he was given the contract extension after his famed performance against Manchester City in which he was subbed on, held responsible for two of Arsenal’s three goals allowed and given a red card.

Arsenal perform far better when Luiz is not on, undefeated in Europa League without Luiz, but have won just two of the five matches where Luiz was involved, including a loss to ninth-placed Bundesliga team Eintracht Frankfurt and the game that got Arsenal eliminated from Europa League, with poor marking on both of Olympiacos’ goals.

Chelsea: Michy Batshuayi

If you read my article on the transfer each top six team needs to make, you might recall I recommended replacing Kepa Arrizabalaga with Iranian keeper Alireza Beiranvand. Chelsea definitely need to get rid of Kepa, but they don’t really have a solid replacement lined up so they can’t get rid of him yet. However, they can more than afford to sell Michy Batshuayi with the incoming arrival of Timo Werner. Batshuayi is one of three strikers, alongside Oliver Giroud and Tammy Abraham but has been the least efficient. In 16 Premier League games this season, Batshuayi has one goal. David Luiz has two.

Despite Batshuayi being more slightly more productive in the Champions League and FA Cup, there is clearly no space for Batshuayi in Chelsea, as Tammy Abraham is expected to stay despite Werner’s arrival. Abraham has been far superior this season to Batshuayi as well as being four years younger. Batshuayi has received offers from West Ham, but Chelsea have reportedly asked for a high price that might scare off West Ham, who spent 44 million USD, around 40 million euro, on another striker in Sebastian Haller last summer.

Tottenham: Erik Lamela

Tottenham ended Mauricio Pochettino’s five year era at Tottenham after the club have struggled this year, and it appears a lot of change is coming. New coach Jose Mourinho made this statement in the winter transfer window by signing Steven Bergwijn, a versatile forward from PSV Eindhoven. This means Tottenham now have a lot of depth up front, and someone needs to go. Heung-min Son and Harry Kane are the main two strikers and won’t be going anywhere, and Bergwijn has done well since joining Spurs. This means that either Lucas Moura or Erik Lamela should be sent packing, and Moura has been a helpful Swiss-Army knife for Tottenham.

Lamela hasn’t made many appearances this season for Spurs, playing just 19 Premier League games, mainly due to a hamstring issue that has kept him out of 12 games in all competitions, including three Champions League fixtures. The 28 year old Argentinian has impressed in games against West Ham and Manchester United recently, but is still viewed as replaceable in both his wing and attacking-mid positions and his it is time to end Lamela’s seven year tenure for Tottenham.

Manchester United: Alexis Sanchez

Manchester United have become somewhat of a laughingstock over the past few years, mainly due to players playing clearly out of their depth in the Premier League such as Phil Jones, Jesse Lingard, and Andreas Pereira. They are clearly improving and they could pose a title challenge next season, but all of those players need to be sold, as well as players currently out on loan like Chris Smalling and Marcos Rojo. However, no player needs to be sold more than Alexis Sanchez, currently on loan at Inter Milan, who commands a wage of around 500,00 USD, around 450,000 euros, weekly in wages.

Sanchez has been relatively active for Inter Milan, who appear to have changed their minds about not wanting to sign him permanently. However, they are unlikely to match the price Manchester United want, as well as the wages that Alexis Sanchez wants as he is 31 years old and declining. Don’t be surprised if Sanchez takes a pay day in China or the Middle East.

Manchester City: Benjamin Mendy

There have been many poor performances this season from Benjamin Mendy, including his performance versus Chelsea that helped Liverpool win the Premier League. He also allowed himself to be bodied by Adama Traore while trying to let the ball run out versus Wolverhampton, and Traore turned and assisted Raul Jimenez to tie the game 2-2. Eventually Wolverhampton made it 3-2 late in the game and won. Mendy has cost Manchester City many points this season and has not been effective for the Citizens.

Once starring for Monaco and Marseille, Mendy has played the past three seasons in Manchester and it’s time that Manchester get rid of Mendy and utilize young Ukranian fullback Oleksandr Zinchenko, or Spanish fullback Angelino, currently on loan at RB Leipzig.

Liverpool: Xherdan Shaqiri

It has been an unreal season for Liverpool, who have already secured the league title and have only lost two matches, against Watford and a 4-0 hangover loss to Manchester City. There is little room for improvement, but they do have players they can afford to lose and Xherdan Shaqiri is at the top of that list. Shaqiri has played just six games so far for Liverpool, contributing to just one goal. Shaqiri has had some injuries this season but has just simply been dropped from the squad for majority of Liverpool’s fixtures.

Shaqiri has only played in one of Liverpool’s Champions League games, playing just three minutes in Liverpool’s loss to Napoli. He hasn’t been a great rotation player, and Jurgen Klopp would surely prefer to use 23 year old Sheyi Ojo, fresh off a loan spell from Rangers, in a rotation role to let the youngster develop. Shaqiri has been linked strongly to Turkish team Galatasaray, where he might have a chance to play an active role in winning a title.

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So that is my opinion on the player each top six Premier League team needs to sell. If you want to know which player your favorite team should buy or sell, a recommendation for an article, or just any questions for me, please leave a comment. Don’t worry if your comment does not show up, all comments must be approved due to the amount of spam comments received. I hope you enjoyed, and as always, keep watching soccer!