Published: 12 June, 2015
by STEVE BARNETT

THE summer clear-out at Arsenal is officially underway with two players already heading for the Emirates exit door. 

Midfielders Abou Diaby and Ryo Miyachi have both been omitted from the club’s retained list for next season. 

Diaby has endured an injury-ravaged career since joining the Gunners, suffering from as many as 40 separate injuries over the last nine years. The 29-year-old France international has played 124 games for Arsenal in that time, but was restricted to just one first-team appearance last term, against Southampton in the third round of the Capital One Cup. 

Diaby and Japanese winger Miyachi, who spent last season on loan at Dutch Eredivisie side FC Twente, were both omitted from the retained list submitted to the Premier League on Wednesday. 

Forgotten man Lukas Podolski is also being tipped for a move away from Arsenal this summer as the club looks to free up funds to invest in a new striker. Podolski spent much of last season on the bench, first with the Gunners and then during his loan move to Inter Milan. 

The 30-year-old said he was happy “to remain at Arsenal next season” and “help a great club.” But manager Arsene Wenger is said to be keen to replace Podolski, possibly with Porto’s Jackson Martinez. 

Meanwhile there is growing speculation that Arsenal could pull off the signing of the summer with a deal for Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech. 

Blues manager Jose Mourinho insisted this week he wouldn’t sell the shot-stopper to another Premier League club but hinted he could find a player he wanted as part of any deal if he really had to.

“I will have to accept any decision that the owner has,” he said. “I’m different. I have the same respect for Petr that everybody at the club has, but my answer to a proposed move to Arsenal would be: no way. If the answer is different I will accept that. But at every club that is interested in Petr I can find a player that I like in that team too.”