Wenger says director ‘went overboard’ with ‘Arsenal can sign nearly anyone’ talk

“Retirement? Yes, it crosses my mind sometimes, but for no longer than five seconds because I panic a little bit”, Wenger said this week.

“We are working hard to do something if an opportunity comes up”, said Wenger, according to The Guardian.

Harris had also said that a centre-forward was on Wenger’s wanted list.

“Last week we scored goals without (Alexis) Sanchez and (Danny) Welbeck”. “It’s down to us as individuals to make that place ours but I’m up for the challenge and I’m sure the other boys are as well”. “Everybody pulls in the same direction, which is why I believe we will have a successful season”. It is undervalued but that’s what we want to show. The truth will come from inside the squad. “It is inside our squad that our performance has to be sufficient”. This time around, even if there is a No. 9 whom the manager wants and the club can prise away from Madrid or Munich, he has to consider a value beyond the money. So it is not something that is absolutely exceptional and money in the bank doesn’t mean profit.

Lacazette enjoyed his best season to date last term as he registered 27 goals in 33 Ligue 1 starts, leading to a number of clubs taking interest in the France global – who has already made eight appearances for his country.

While the distracting and most likely futile debate over whether Wenger will spend any of the club’s £200m on a new striker intensifies, a significant attacking shift is occurring on the quiet. “Le Professeur” continues to value internal development over external gains and while one or two more signings may arrive at the Emirates in the coming weeks, his settled group will be confident of beating their big-spending rivals in the race for next season’s Premier League title. It will be extremely interesting to see if an option to buy is actually included in this deal-there are many Arsenal fans and pundits afraid of losing this kid for good-but Wegner’s actions don’t portend a stable future for Szczesny at Arsenal, so this could be a tense negotiation. “You can take Barcelona or Man United, who had a generation and built their success on players who came from within”. £200 million in transfer funds is nothing to sneeze at, and will only increase the clamour for transfers. “We want to combine good defensive efficiency with 10 more goals”.

“These are our values and it is our DNA and it’s important we keep that”.

Wenger’s team face French club Olympique Lyonnais today and German side VfL Wolfsburg tomorrow as they look ahead to the Community Shield against Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on the following Sunday and their Premier League opener at home to West Ham United seven days later. The player, fast like Wenger likes them to be, joined Arsenal at six.