The Hard Tackle takes a look at the key news stories surrounding Premier League giants Arsenal.
Arsenal roared back to form with a comprehensive 4-0 beating of Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday. As the Gunners prepare for the visit of Burnley on the weekend, here’s a roundup of everything happening in and around the Emirates Stadium.
Sergi Samper Rejected Arsenal Approach
Barcelona wonderkid Sergio Samper has claimed that he rejected an approach from Arsenal, telling Arsene Wenger that he wanted to stay with the Blaugrana to win trophies with the club. The 21-year-old is currently on a season-long loan at fellow La Liga side Granada.
He speaking to Granada’s official website when he said, “Well, I just left it clear that I wanted to stay, that I wanted to succeed there [at Barcelona], that I was a big cule [Barcelona fan] and what made me happiest was to be able to succeed in the future at Barca.”
Samper hasn’t managed to become a regular for Barcelona since rising through the ranks at the club’s famed youth setup La Masia, but this season he has established a place for himself in the Granada first team setup, managing 10 appearances for the La Liga strugglers.
Koscielny: Arsene Wenger Has “Built Men” At Arsenal
Speaking of Arsene Wenger, stand-in captain Laurent Koscielny has praised his manager, claiming the Frenchman deserves more credit because he “built men” at Arsenal even when the Gunners weren’t winning titles.
Koscielny has spent more than six seasons at Arsenal, establishing himself as one of the best centre-backs in the world having amassed more than 200 appearances with the North London club. And the French defender has credited Wenger for aiding his growth since moving to the Emirates Stadium in 2010.
Koscielny told Arsenal’s official website, “You may say that we haven’t won the title for a long time, but he has not just built players, he’s built men too. Every player who has played for Arsenal has grown here and has become a man. It’s a big number [of players]. For me and the others, it’s a good opportunity to be with him and learn from him.”
Koscielny signed a contract extension with Arsenal last week, in a deal that will keep him at the Emirates Stadium until 2020, by when the France international would have completed ten years at the club.
Giroud: Arsenal Players Are Hoping For Wenger Extension
Meanwhile, striker Olivier Giroud has said that the Arsenal players are hoping that Arsene Wenger will sign his own contract extension with the Gunners and still be the manager of the club come next season.
Giroud himself signed a contract extension alongside Koscielny and Francis Coquelin last week, and said that the players want to continue under Wenger. Giroud told ESPN, “We hope that the boss will sign a new contract. Because we all want to keep going with this squad.”
Uncertainty has surrounded Arsene Wenger’s situation at the club. Reports last month claimed that the Frenchman was prepared to wait until April before putting pen to paper on a new Arsenal deal, but fresh reports stated that Wenger could sign an extension as early as March.
It now remains to be seen if and when the Arsenal boss signs a renewal, with the future of influential playmaker Mesut Ozil hinging on Wenger penning a new deal.
Juventus Offer Swap Deal For Alexis Sanchez
Back to some transfer news now, and Juventus are reportedly set to present Arsenal with an audacious swap deal, offering Bosnian midfielder Miralem Pjanic in exchange for Alexis Sanchez.
Sanchez has been involved in a contract standoff with Arsenal in recent weeks, as he has demanded pay parity with the best paid players in the Premier League.
The Chilean has also looked a little unhappy in recent weeks, as he was dismayed by Arsenal’s mediocre performance in the 3-3 draw at Bournemouth earlier this month. With Juventus being long time admirers of his talents, the Italian champions could soon make a move for Sanchez.
This is another saga that is starting to take an interesting turn, with Atletico Madrid also eyeing Sanchez as a replacement for the potentially outbound Antoine Griezmann.
Manchester City Join Arsenal In Oblak Pursuit
Finally, Arsenal have some competition in their pursuit to sign Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak, with Premier League rivals Manchester City also eyeing the Slovenia international for a potential deal in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Oblak has made a name for himself ever since moving to the Vicente Calderon from SL Benfica in 2014, with his solid performances between the sticks for Atletico Madrid resulting in him being regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in European football today.
Arsenal were said to have identified Oblak as a long-term successor to Petr Cech, but with Claudio Bravo’s struggle in goal for the Citizens, Manchester City have also entered the race to sign the Atletico Madrid goalkeeper.
This is one duel that could go either way, and it will be interesting to see where Oblak heads to if he decides to move on from Atletico Madrid in the summer.
