Mason Greenwood and Arthur interest, Aubameyang to talk with Chelsea manager Tuchel

‘I’d expect him to impress’

Arsenal cult hero Jack Wilshere has been backed to return to the club on a short-term deal by former team-mate Emmanuel Frimpong.

Speaking to SunSport via Freebets.com, the 29-year-old insisted Wilshere would be one of the best midfielders at the club.

He said: « Why not? If it’s for a month to give him a chance to prove himself.

« Obviously, Jack is very close to Mikel, but it’s going to be a big ask for Jack as he’s not played all season. To come straight back into the Arsenal team, that’s a lot of pressure.

« People will be looking at him, expecting him to deliver and I don’t think it’s fair to put that much pressure on anyone, no matter how good a player Jack is.

« I’m not at the training ground but I’d expect him to be impressing in training – he’s still one of the most technically gifted and he’s as good as any midfield player within the current Arsenal squad. »

Keown wants Aubameyang welcomed back

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown is hoping that there is a pathway back for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after Mikel Arteta left him out of the squad once again.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Keown said: “I understand why the captaincy was taken away from him but I feel a bridge should be built between the club, the manager and the player to get him back onto the pitch.

“The team did exceptionally well on Tuesday night, they’ve moved into the top four, but they’ve got Leeds away with lots of games over Christmas to come so you want him back in the fold as quickly as possible.

“I think back to the William Gallas situation when he was stripped of the captaincy. They gave him a pathway for him to come back into the team so I can’t see why that can’t happen here.

“I sincerely hope it’s not the club blocking Aubameyang coming back in. There’s got to be a path for the player to come back at some point.”

Gone from bad to worse

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been banished from Arsenal first-team training and will continue to be exiled from Mikel Arteta’s plans until the end of 2021 at the earliest.

The striker’s future at Emirates is looking increasingly bleak following the decision to strip him of the club captaincy on Monday, for what Arsenal called his ‘latest disciplinary breach’ after returning late from an agreed trip to France to collect his sick mum.

The Telegraph report the 32-year-old has not been involved in first-team training at the club’s London Colney HQ this week, a development that casts further doubt over his future in north London.

Instead, the striker has been training alone, away from the squad. Arteta confirmed on Friday that Aubameyang would not be considered for the weekend game versus Leeds and it is understood his non-inclusion in first-team affairs will continue until he leaves for Africa Cup of Nations duty at the end of the month.

Clubs battling for Arsenal star

Arsenal star Dinos Mavropanos is being targeted by clubs in the Bundesliga and Premier League, according to football.london.

The 24-year-old has impressed on loan at Stuttgart this season, where he’s scored five goals for the German side this season.

Mavropanos is set to leave Arsenal permanently next summer, though the Gunners have a 10 per cent sell-on fee.

Borussia Dortmund and West Ham are both monitoring Mavropanos’ progress in Germany, with a number of European clubs interested in signing the Greek international next summer.

Stuttgart paid a €500,000 loan fee for Mavropanos and they have an obligation to buy him for €3,000,000 next summer.

‘Leeds will be feeling low’

Mark Lawrenson has backed Arsenal to leave Leeds United with all three points on Saturday evening at Elland Road.

Lawrenson has predicted that it will finish 2-1 to the Gunners, despite their poor away form becoming a problem.

He said: “Leeds will be feeling low after they were hammered by Manchester City on Tuesday, and injuries have taken their toll on Marcelo Bielsa’s side.

“So, although Arsenal’s away form has been decidedly ropey of late, I fancy them to get something at Elland Road.

“The Gunners still need to be more consistent on the road but they are up in fourth place, which is pretty much as good as they could hope for.

“Mikel Arteta’s side don’t always play well but they are rarely a pushover these days, which is a good sign.”

Life continues without star Aubameyang

Arsenal are looking to build on back-to-back Premier League victories when they travel to Elland Road to take on Leeds this weekend.

Now they are hoping to end a run of three away defeats on the bounce as they take on a Marcelo Bielsa side desperately lacking in confidence following a 7-0 hammering from champions Manchester City.

Mikel Arteta’s men have recently suffered defeats on the road at the hands of Liverpool, Manchester United and Everton.

But they now occupy a Champions League place for the first time this season – even without former captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

‘He is a natural leader’

Mikel Arteta has dropped a hint that youngster Martin Odegaard is in contention to become the next captain of Arsenal.

Speaking during his Friday press conference ahead of Arsenal facing Leeds, Arteta told reporters: « He’s a very young player but already has a lot of experience at different clubs and international level.

« I agree in the last few weeks he’s getting close to his best level and the ceiling for him I don’t know where it is because of talent and desire he has and how much he wants to improve.

« We have a tremendous player.

« He is a natural leader if you look for perfect professional he wouldn’t be very far from that. »

Striker search continues

Arsenal are actively looking for a new striker, and Arthur Cabral is on the club’s transfer shortlist according to French outlet Jeunes Footeux.

The same outlet mentioned Arsenal’s interest in Jonathan David earlier this week, but they now add that the Gunners are also pursuing Arthur Cabral of FC Basel.

Cabral is in fantastic form this season, scoring 27 goals in all competitions before the turn of the year.

But Arsenal could be rivalled in their pursuit by Barcelona and Paris St Germain.

Gunner leave in January window?

Arsenal are exploring January loan options for Omar Rekik as they look to aid his development with first-team action, report The Athletic.

Rekik is highly thought of at London Colney and has been a key figure for Kevin Betsy’s youth side this season.

Two muscle tears halted the centre-back’s progress after his arrival in January 2020 from German side Hertha BSC, but he has played more regularly this campaign, making 13 appearances in all competitions.

Aubameyang successor

Ray Parlour wants Kieran Tierney to become Arsenal’s new skipper after Pierre-Emerick Aubemayang was stripped of the captaincy.

When asked who he would have as captain, Parlour told talkSPORT: « Tierney – that’s what I’d like to see.

« If [Aaron] Ramsdale was a centre-half, he’d be number one. »

Wilshere good enough for Prem

Jack Wilshere could still play in the Premier League but it’s unlikely to be with Arsenal, manager Mikel Arteta has revealed.

But despite being involved with the first team, there have been no conversations over offering Wilshere a short-term deal with the club, according to football.london.

Arteta was asked on Friday whether Wilshere could play in the Premier League again, to which he replied: “Yes, 100 per cent. I have seen that, I can tell that he has [the ability to do so].”

But when pressed on whether the former Arsenal man could resign for the Gunners in January, he admitted:

“That’s a different story!”

Thomas Tuchel backs Arteta

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has agreed with rival bosses Jurgen Klopp and Mikel Arteta that more clarity and transparency is needed in the ongoing Covid situation.

Asked if the Premier League should offer more clarity, the Chelsea boss said: “If they want to, they can. It is not in my hands but clarity and transparency is always good in every subject.

“I know the rules now, I did not get involved too early. I read them and then immediately forgot them because there are so many of them.”

Art likes Art

Arsenal are plotting a January loan move for Juventus midfielder Arthur Melo, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.

It is believed the Gunners would seek a loan deal, with the option to make the move permanent.

Melo has fallen out of favour in Turin since signing from Barcelona in a massive £64.8million switch in September 2020.

The 25-year-old has made just eight appearances for Juventus this season, and it is reported he would be allowed to leave if the finances were right on a loan move.

JOE TO WATCH

Ex-Chelsea ace Joe Cole said Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli reminds him of Sergio Aguero and Alexis Sanchez.

Cole told BT Sport: “I left the stadium and I was driving away. I was thinking ‘this is the first time in 10 years there’s something to work from with Arsenal, there’s a base’.

“This lad is outstanding, Martinelli. I’ve always been a big fan of his.

“He reminds me of a young Aguero, who is busy, just like Alexis Sanchez”

VLAHOVIC WISH

Fiorentina ace Dusan Vlahovic prefers to join a club with the ability to challenge in the Champions League.

That is according to Eurosport, who report that Vlahovic isn’t too keen to join the Gunners.

It’s been five years since the north Londoners made it to the Champions League, which means they have an uphill battle ahead of them in their bid to sign the centre-forward.

Arsenal are likely to need a striker soon as Alexandre Lacazette’s contract runs out in June and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been omitted from the squad due to a disciplinary breach

AUBA SWAP

Arsenal are considering a swap deal with Barcelona involving the out-of-favour Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ousmane Dembele.

That is according to The Independent, who report that discussions have taken place through intermediaries.

Barcelona are said to be interested in the striker, whose future at the Emirates looks uncertain.

This comes after Gunners boss Mikel Arteta stripped him of the captain’s armband due to a disciplinary breach

NOT AN « IDEAL FIT »

Arsenal legend Alan Smith claims Everton star Dominic Calvert-Lewin isn’t an « ideal fit » for the Gunners, amid transfer rumours linking him with a move to the Emirates.

Smith told Sky Sports: « I wouldn’t say Calvert-Lewin is an ideal fit for Arsenal. In many ways he’s an old-fashioned centre-forward and he loves balls being swung into the box and there’s not many better at getting his head to the ball and attacking it.

« That’s not particularly Arsenal’s game. It can be when they get the full-backs forward and you can imagine Kieran Tierney whipping in crosses from the left towards him.

« But he’s not immediately what I would think of as an Arsenal centre-forward at the moment, but look at how well Olivier Giroud did over the course of his Arsenal career. You adjust according to the player that you’ve got up top.

« Calvert-Lewin is young, there’s more to come from him and maybe we haven’t seen everything he can do at Everton.

« If he’s asked to do different things, potentially at Arsenal, be a little bit more intricate in his build-up play, he might have that in his game or even add it to his game »

ARTETA ON PEPE

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has hinted that Nicolas Pepe isn’t getting enough minutes because Bukayo Saka has thrived in his position.

Arteta said: « It’s with all the players that they are not having a lot of minutes. With the amount of games we’re having there’s not enough room.

« With Nico’s situation it’s something similar. He needs more opportunities to show what he can do and in the last games he hasn’t had them.

« I understand but again I have to try to make the decision based on what I see every day.

« Nico is really willing to help the team. The reality is that in the position that he’s playing, Bukayo [Saka] is there and has been fantastic »

FESTIVE FIREBREAK

Premier League teams are ‘pushing for a festive firebreak’ to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak in the top flight.

That’s according to Manchester Evening News, who report that the clubs are trying to get the Prem postponed until the FA Cup third round – which begins on January 7.

This means the campaign won’t get back underway until the following weekend

ARTETA ON LACAZETTE

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta insists Alexandre Lacazette’s performances are not related to his contract situation.

Arteta said: « Alex’s performances, involvement and commitment are not related to his contract situation.

« I discussed in the summer with him what it is and we’re both clear on that.

« He’s played a lot under me and I’ve always been really pleased with him »

ARTETA ON VACCINATIONS

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has called on everyone to get vaccinated.

Arteta said: « The vaccination is really important to prevent getting really ill.

« As well though you see many other cases so you don’t know.

« Yes we try to do the right thing and it’s a really personal matter. The doctor has done a really good job to educate and encourage everyone »

ARTETA ON POSTPONEMENTS

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta addressed the COVID-19 crisis which has led to the postponement of numerous Premier League matches.

Arteta said: « We are good we are waiting for more tests which we’ll have this afternoon. This is the only thing we can do, wait and see.

« Well health wise I hope we’re doing everything we can to protect everybody.

« I’m sure with everything we are doing we can do our best to maintain everybody healthy. We need more clarity on why those games are not being played and what you need to not have a game played so you can maintain the fairness of the competition.

« Yes but this is changing every day. That’s the uncertainty that we all have. Hopefully we don’t have any cases but we have to wait and see.

« We have issues in the last few weeks like everybody has. We are trying to manage that as good as possible »

AUBA AND OUT

Ex-Arsenal player Emmanuel Frimpong has urged his former club to cash in on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after he was stripped of the captaincy.

Firmpong told SunSport via Freebets.com: « I feel like in any profession there must be a professional attitude.

« And we all know Aubameyang has had one or two problems with coming late so I feel it was the right call. 

« He’s the captain and there has to be an example so the younger players in the squad can follow.

« I think it would be good for Arsenal to cash in. Look at his age, he’s getting older, and we need a new striker that we can have for the next five years.

« He’s a great player but this is the best time to cash in. It will be difficult though, as he’s on very good wages. It’s not going to be easy to get him out »

MIND GAME

Arsenal hero Martin Keown has spoken out in support of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, calling on his former club to consider his mental wellbeing.

Keown told BT Sport: “I do feel it was a very bold decision, to pull the captaincy from Aubameyang.

“It could have been left till the end of the season because I just fear for Aubameyang and how we get him back onto the field.

“He’s going to be an important player at some point, you don’t have that sort of quality and just disappear from the group. That’s my biggest concern.

“It’s a very bold decision and I would have waited for the summer, it would have been safer to do that.

“Protect him a little bit, we talk about mental health, we’re not sure of the mental health of Aubameyang right now”