Gunner89 think it's tricky to find a good balance between sentimentality, pragmatism and ambition as fan/fanbase/club. If one can even put those to a venn diagram. I would hate to be one of the fanbases with no sentimentality, and players treated like cattle (over towards putney bridge for e.g.). Think of some of us can recalibrate, for sure. I prefer to be a sentimental slut.
In order not to have to make tough decisions with players we really like/rate, I would really like Edu generate profits from the other players. I can just, just about excuse him last 2 years struggling to content with outside perceptions/perceived value on players like Guendouzi, Kolasinic, Mari, Torriera. I actually think those are some decent players. It felt like he had to sell Willock because he couldn't source value elsewhere. I am expecting more than that this time around.
We should be aiming to break even on players like Mari, Soares, Holding(if he leaves). We should be prepping for substantive profit if we need to flip Tavares, Balogun. If it makes sense, we should be aiming to renegotiate terms with Nelson, Trusty, Balogun, Pépé with new sell clauses, or with intent to sell. Generate something healthy from the first two categories I listed earlier this week, and it doesn't even have to get to thinking about Smith-Rowe or Tierney.
FWIW I like both and don't want them sold. It's only about injury/availability with Smith-Rowe for me, and I otherwise questioned the Mudryk pursuit. I feel a confident Tierney as an overlapping FB is a really nice asset in the team. Maybe another development challenge for Arteta as manager is to weave in alternative tactics and sets that sometimes accommodate and complement the strengths of some his players, rather than only finding and fitting players in to predefined profiles. Used differently, Tierney would be racking up assists and goals like Chillwell and Reece-James I feel.