I cried so hard this morning when I found that the board have already terminated His contract because of what happened yesterday,We didn’t wish to end things like this”, Martin Ødegaard broke down in tears as board terminate contract of One Arsenal player who failed to impress Mikel Arteta last season – Not Thomas Partey

An emotional press conference unfolded at London Colney this morning as Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard was left in tears after confirming that the club’s board had terminated the contract of one of his teammates following a disappointing season under Mikel Arteta. The decision, described as “unexpected and painful”, was made by Arsenal’s hierarchy late last night after ongoing concerns about the player’s form and attitude within the squad.

While speculation quickly swirled about who the affected player might be, club officials were quick to clarify that it was not Thomas Partey, whose future remains under review. Instead, the player in question — whose name has yet to be officially released pending a club statement — is understood to have struggled for both fitness and form throughout the 2024/25 campaign, failing to convince Arteta that he had a role to play in Arsenal’s long-term plans.

Martin Ødegaard addressed the media through visible emotion:

> “I cried so hard this morning when I found out the board had already terminated his contract. It’s a very sad moment for all of us in the dressing room. We didn’t wish to end things like this. Football can be brutal sometimes, but he was like a brother to many of us here.”

According to reports, the decision followed a difficult incident during training yesterday, which appeared to be the final straw in a season marked by inconsistency and frustration. Sources inside the club suggest Arteta had long harbored concerns about the player’s ability to meet the physical and tactical demands of his system, and discussions about a possible exit had been ongoing behind the scenes for weeks.

Sporting director Edu Gaspar also spoke at the press conference:

> “It’s never easy to part ways with a player, especially one who has shared special moments with this club. But we have to make decisions that are in the best interests of the team moving forward.”

The sudden termination comes as Arsenal continue to reshape their squad ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, with the club aggressively pursuing new signings while trimming players deemed surplus to requirements. This high-profile departure is expected to be followed by further exits as the Gunners look to balance their squad depth.

The player’s agent is believed to be already in discussions with several clubs across Europe regarding a possible free transfer, and a resolution on his next move could be reached in the coming days.