Arsenal face a huge summer ahead in their quest to push back to the top-end of the Premier League standings, after finishing fifth this season, and Arsene Wenger is under pressure following his new two year deal.

The Gunners face a huge test to lure big targets to the Emirates Stadium this summer and also face a challenge keeping their key-players at the club, with Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil both heavily linked to an exit.

Reports indicate that both of Arsenal’s leading figures are set to reject the chance to sign a new contract and push for an exit, with Alexis eyeing a departure this summer whilst Ozil is likely to leave on a free transfer in 2018.

Replacing the pair will certainly be difficult for the Gunners but former Arsenal defender Martin Keown believes the North London giants are right to approve exits for the pair, telling BBC Radio 5 Live it’s the right decision to let them leave if they want an exit.

“If they have to say cheerio to those two players, then that is the right decision,”

“They have been overindulged at times this season and they let Arsenal down in the period when they lost twice to Bayern Munich, conceding 10 goals. That is the level of the problem. The manager needs to make some really tough decisions now. Sanchez’s contract needs to get 100% secured. Is that going to happen? Will Ozil leave?”

“I am sure both players want to go elsewhere because they want to win the Champions League, win the Premier League and maybe they do not feel it can be done at Arsenal. The club is bigger than two individuals.”

Alexis Sanchez will be the most difficult player to replace as the Chilean has excelled this season by leading the Gunners’ forward line, scoring 24 goals and providing ten assists in the league- with Ozil boasting eight goals and nine assists.

Each player would command a club-record contract if they were to remain at the Emirates Stadium and it’s debatable whether the duo deserve such a lucrative deal- particularly German ace Ozil, who has often been criticised for his shaky performances.

Keown’s assessment that no two players are bigger than the club is true but Arsenal would need to do something they’ve never done before in 21 years under Arsene Wenger- spend heavily to match the Premier League’s elite.

Wenger’s expenditure over 21 years stands at around £700m, which certainly doesn’t seem like a lot when both Manchester sides spent in excess of £200m each last summer.