Arsenal have announced the departure of 15 players from their men's, women's and academy squads as contracts expire on June 30, 2026. The club confirmed the exits following the conclusion of the 2025/2026 season, with several key figures from the women's team among those leaving. Laia Codina, Katie McCabe, Beth Mead, Victoria Pelova, Barbora Votikova, Naomi Williams and Manuela Zinsberger will all depart Renee Slegers' side after contributing to last season's UEFA Women's Champions League victory. From the men's setup, right-back Josh Nichols and goalkeeper Alexei Rojas-Fedorushchenko are the most prominent names to leave. Nichols, who made his senior debut in a League Cup win over Bolton, has already joined Croatian side NK Kustosija. Both players had trained regularly with Mikel Arteta's first team. The academy departures also include Sam Chapman, Harrison Dudziak, Seb Ferdinand, Cam'ron Ismail, Will Lannin-Sweet, Samuel Onyekachukwu and Rojas-Fedorushchenko. Arsenal are still negotiating contract extensions with three players: Caitlin Foord, Aleksander Marciniak and Joshua Ogunnaike. No senior men's first-team player has been released, signaling the club's intent to retain the core of the squad that won the Premier League title, ending a 22-year drought. The campaign ended in disappointment in Europe, however, as Arsenal lost the UEFA Champions League final to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties. The club's next competitive match will be the FA Community Shield against Manchester City on August 16 at Cardiff's Principality Stadium. Arsenal have lifted the trophy 17 times in their history and will enter the match as Premier League champions, facing the FA Cup winners.
Arsenal are keeping their title-winning men's core intact while dismantling a women's squad that delivered a Champions League trophy just months ago. Releasing seven key contributors from that triumph, including established internationals like Beth Mead and Katie McCabe, raises questions about the club's commitment to sustaining elite success in the women's game. No Nigerian or African player featured in the departures or ongoing contract talks.
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