Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Oliver Giroud’s future this month depends on whether the club can secure a replacement.
With Giroud’s future long speculated about and a potential late move to Everton not going through over the summer, Wenger has today confirmed that Giroud will be allowed to leave this window, but only if a replacement is secured first.
Many believe that replacement to be Borussia Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang with Dortmund reportedly rejecting a bid in excess of £50million for him this week.
Sky Sports have said that club officials continue to be in Germany trying to thrash out a deal and although Wenger confirmed the clubs were in talks, he didn’t believe a deal was close.
‘We will still recruit someone, it’s possible. I cannot tell you more, nothing to announce today. At the moment we stay where we are. It’s still possible but we are far from being close.’
Speaking about Giroud, Wenger said he wouldn’t be part of any deal bringing Aubameyang in but he could be allowed to leave between now and the deadline, subject to our own strengthening.
‘No. I want Olivier to stay, I just told you that if nobody goes in, nobody goes out. Maybe one or two young players will go out on loan somewhere, but the experienced side of the squad will remain the same unless somebody comes in.’
As for Mesut Ozil and a potential new contract, he added.
‘We are not close enough to be optimistic, but we are not far enough to be pessimistic. He behaves like somebody who is completely focused and ready to commit but after that contract negotiations are what they are. We are not close enough to tell you he will do it, I don’t know.’
