Arsene Wenger sat in front of the press for a conference on the final game in Arsenal’s Sydney Tour. The Gunners won their last pre-season game there, but the victory wasn’t on the minds of the reporters.
A lot of speculation surrounds the future of the current Arsenal players. Ozil and Sanchez have dominated the headlines over the summer, but the focus has now shifted towards Olivier Giroud and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
The French striker has long been the target of Arsenal fans' frustrations. Furthermore, the arrival of Lacazette means Olivier will spend more time on the bench than last season.
As a result, Giroud has been linked with a move away from the Emirates Stadium despite his impressive minutes-per-goal ratio. The French forward has been linked with an Everton switch, but a move abroad to BVB or Marseille is more likely.
Wenger, however, insists that he wants the 30-year-old to stay at Arsenal after scoring a lovely goal against Western Sydney Wanderers. Le Prof confessed his admiration for Giroud, saying (as per the Mirror):
“There’s a lot of speculation but no matter how many times I say it, I have a huge respect for him, for the man he is and the way he loves our club.
“Even with the speculation he is focused and he does his job. I always said I want him to stay. I was always consistent in that and that’s where we are at the moment.”
The case of Chamberlain is different. The Englishman will probably be a starter next season in the Gunners' 3-4-3 formation, but the problem is where the Three Lions ace's position.
The 23-year-old thrived as a wing-back last season, but the Englishman desires a central role in Arsenal's crowded midfield. With his contract expiring next summer, Chamberlain has been linked with moves to Chelsea or Liverpool.
Arsene's response to Alex's future was straight-forward, however: “Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will stay. 100 per cent I expect him to stay. There is no speculation. No matter what happens he will stay."
The long-serving manager also dismissed claims he made a bid for Kylian Mbappe after Saturday's 3-1 win. Furthermore, he predicted that the in-demand Monaco teenager will remain with the Ligue 1 champions.
“That’s not true either," Wenger said about an alleged £120m bid. "People have a big imagination. What we know now is that Mbappe is over £100m and after that it’s free to imagine what you want.
“But we have not made any offer. I think he will stay, it looks like that. One more season. Maybe he has too much choice. In the end, people don’t move."
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