Arsene Wenger: ‘He’s a player of Arsenal Football Club and I want him to stay’

Published: 31 December, 2014
by STEVE BARNETT

ARSENE Wenger has revealed his first job when the January transfer window opens on Tuesday is convincing Lukas Podolski to stay. 

The Arsenal manager added that he fully expects some players, such as striker Yaya Sanogo, to go out on loan so that they “can gain some much-needed experience”. 

Podolski is being heavily linked with a move to Serie A side Inter Milan, but Wenger insists that any talk of a pending deal are unfounded. 

“He’s a player of Arsenal Football Club and I want him to stay,” said the Frenchman. 

“Apart from that, what it is to be professional is that as long as you are somewhere, you give your best to justify your wages and your love for the club. 

“I hope that Podolski will stay. The Inter Milan reports are not serious. The talk, it is only talk.” 

There will, however, clearly be a freshen-up on the faces in the squad, although fans might be surprised that Wenger is earmarking a new midfielder – and not the defender that the fans are so desperately craving. 

“Offensively, we have many options when everyone is fit, too many to keep everyone involved with the right number of games, that is for sure,” said the Gunners’ boss. 

“I don’t really doubt that there will be loan deals in some positions where players need experience. 

“That’s not the case for Podolski, but players who need practice because they’re at a very young age like Sanogo, it is not impossible. 

“There is a need to buy there but the right opportunity has to come up.” 

“To buy just to buy is not what we want to do, but if the right opportunity comes up, we will do it,” added Wenger. 

“If you look at the number of games some players played, and the injuries we have with Wilshere, Ramsey and Arteta, we are a bit short at the moment in midfield.”