With centre-back pairing Gabriel and Per Mertesacker injured Wenger opted not to recall fellow defender Laurent Koscielny, as well as Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil, for Sunday’s Premier League opener against Liverpool following their Euro 2016 exertions.
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Wenger is under huge pressure following Sunday’s 4-3 defeat to Liverpool in their Premier League opener, in addition to a lack of activity in the transfer market.
Arsenal are interested by Valencia defender Shkodran Mustafi, but Arsene Wenger refused to reveal any specific transfer targets.
“He said “we want to build again and I don’t want to go”. Leicester played very well in the counter-attack. Asked if playing the Chile worldwide down the centre could be a long-term option, Wenger said: “I think yes”.
But while Jeffers – then a 20-year-old from Liverpool who had scored 18 goals in 37 Premier League starts for boyhood club Everton – ended up moving to the capital, Leicester’s top scorer chose to stay put despite Arsenal’s £20m bid triggering the 29-year-old’s release clause.
If Sanchez is going to need rests, Wenger could yet be tempted to delve into the market for a new striker.
Wenger added: “I have told you before the criteria for the price of a player but you could add one more: the identity of the buyer”.
“I can reassure people we’re ready to spend the money we have”, Wenger said.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has highlighted the significant threat posed by Riyad Mahrez ahead of Saturday’s clash with Leicester – but refused to confirm if he made a move to sign the PFA Player of the Year this summer. Even the older players who left, 99.5% have asked to come back. “They pay for 10 or 12 players who have gone somewhere else because the clubs they go to can not pay their wages”.
“I’m like you, in life it is very hard to know”. Vardy, who scored 24 goals last term, netted three times in the two games against the Gunners.
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“It’s important to spend money the right way, it’s not my money”. I think I have shown in 20 years that it does not work too badly.
