The latest Arsenal transfer news and rumours after the close of the international window and ahead of the domestic-only window deadline.
Aouar admission
Houssem Aouar has spoken of the decision he had to make over his future amid interest from Arsenal during the last transfer window.
The Lyon midfielder was the subject of a bid from the London side, but ended up staying in France for the foreseeable future.
Aouar was asked about the situation while on international duty with France, and told TF1, per the Mirror, that it gives him ‘immense pride’ to continue representing the club with whom he has spent his entire career.
![[FILE] Liverpool’s Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah (L) runs with the ball as Arsenal’s Brazilian defender Gabriel closes in during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium in London. (Photo by Catherine Ivill / POOL / AFP)](https://www.afriupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/000_97B779-scaled-e1703231851386-120x86.jpg "Liverpool host Arsenal in battle for Premier League Christmas No. 1 2")
“It wasn’t really Arsenal or nothing else, although at the end it was close to that. Really, a choice had to be made and I’m happy to stay here,” he said.
The 22-year-old finally made his senior France debut against Ukraine, after a positive Covid test ruled him out of action for September’s matches, and played the first hour of the 7-1 win for Les Bleus.
Keown on ‘bizarre’ Saliba situation
Former Arsenal centre-back Martin Keown considers it bizarre that the club seem prepared to let William Saliba leave on loan again before he has made a competitive appearance for the Gunners.
Saliba signed for £25m in the summer of 2019 and went out on loan to former club Saint-Etienne for the 2019/20 season with a view to welcoming him back into the fold this term.
The French defender was on the bench for the Community Shield, but is still waiting for his first competitive minutes under Mikel Arteta.
He was close to another loan return to Saint-Etienne, but a deal could not be completed before last week’s deadline, and reports suggest Arsenal are considering a Championship loan for the teenager.
“It’s bizarre. We’ve just not seen the kid. You want to see him to see how he performs in the Championship for instance to see if he’s good enough,” Keown told talkSPORT.
“I’m anxious to see. The feeling was that this was going to be the one. Gabriel has come in and been an outstanding signing. Maybe they feel he’s too young and want him to go out to pastures new.
“To then loan him out when there was a real problem there last season seems a real mystery.”
Wenger’s transfer dig
Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal spell regularly saw the club chase bargains and spend little, so the Gunners’ big spending since the Frenchman’s departure represents quite the change.
The club broke their transfer record under Unai Emery when Nicolas Pepe joined from Lille, while this summer has seen Mikel Arteta add more than £70m worth of talent to his squad with the signings of Gabriel and Thomas Partey.
And Wenger, speaking at a Q&A at the London Palladium, appeared to aim a slight dig at the club’s higher-ups when expressing his surprise at the recent spending.
“We [Arsenal] have spent a lot of money in the last two years and suddenly we have discovered huge resources,” Wenger said.
“That was quite surprising, but I think [Arteta] has the quality and the quality of players where we can go for it, why not.”
In the three seasons since Wenger’s exit, Arsenal have spent more than £280 million on new signings while recouping roughly £70m in player sales, according to Transfermarkt.
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