These players are not popular, they deserve to be released because they are not useful for Arsenal. If Arsenal keep them, they just burden the player salaries. It is a wise decision from Arsenal management to let them leaving Arsenal. They may get better teams and have brighter careers in the future. If they are in Arsenal, they probably will never be in the main lineup.
Except the first two players which are Elneny and Cedric Soares are the only two that belongs to the first team self, the rest of this players are just academy players that weren’t causing huge deficits in the wage load rather they were offloaded to get more first team game time which was the best decision to me.
As for Chelsea and Liverpool that you said that they are to contend for the third position, which is laughable for me, you really need to be open minded with other teams. if Arteta was that strategic, he would have at least been able to win the league for the second time attempt, though I'm not writing him off but I'm giving room for other teams too.
People are actually over exaggerating this whole Arsenal situation, people believe they Will be head and shoulders above everyone next season except Manchester City which I don’t think I totally agree with. Arsenal is currently the best after Manchester city but next season they might face stiff competition from opposition not like it will be a two horse race. The likes of Manchester United will like to mount a title charge too next season and I believe with the right signings Erik Ten Hag and it’s boys can do it