In their final pre-season match against Manchester City in Sweden, Wenger’s defensive problems were compounded.
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Jurgen Klopp’s side recently hit four goals past Barcelona in a friendly, while Arsene Wenger’s side have beaten Manchester City in the lead-up to the first weekend of the Premier League season.
And Wenger notes that as Laurent Koscielny is also not fully fit, he may have to turn to the transfer market: “I’ve said many times that we are in the market”.
The injury crisis has increased the pressure on Arsenal to sign a new defender, with Valencia’s Germany global Shkodran Mustafi reportedly their top target. Kelechi Iheanacho reduced the deficit before a lengthy stoppage after the injury to Gabriel, who had to be carried from the field following a clash with Raheem Sterling.
“There is always a surprising team, and then you have six or seven big clubs who have the ambition to win it”, added Wenger, in charge of Arsenal since 1996.
Holding has played in the Championship. When Mertesacker was sent off for a foul on Diego Costa against Chelsea, it opened the door for Brazilian Gabriel Paulista to stake his claim.
Midfielder Jack Wilshere had another injury pre-season and isn’t quite ready to be back in action but Wenger believed he will be back soon on the field.
Speaking at the Premier League launch, Wilshere told Sky Sports: “I picked up a little knee injury, nothing serious, and now I am back in light training and am looking forward to the start of the Premier League”. The Frenchman celebrates 20 years as manager of Arsenal next month and his contract at the Emirates expires at the end of the season.
Arsene Wenger has admitted football is an “addiction” to him and he fears the day he has to retire.
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“Guilt because you want to predict who would win the league and you would not have included Leicester so everybody else would say we should have come in front of Leicester”.
