Category: Arsenal

Review the latest Arsenal news, with all the latest news and analysis from the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal fear Danny Welbeck could be out for long time with injury

Jason Bourne

Arsenal fear forward Danny Welbeck has suffered a “very big injury” after he was carried off on a stretcher during his side’s Europa League game against Sporting Lisbon on Thursday. It ended goalless at Emirates Stadium as the Gunners secured a place in the last 32, but the match was overshadowed by the 27-year-old England international’s ankle injury. “He is at the hospital. The news is that we are going to wait, but we think it’s a serious injury,” said Arsenal boss Unai Emery. “Every injury is different. This could…

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Nicklas Bendtner sentenced to 50 days in jail in Denmark for assault

Jason Bourne

Former Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner has been sentenced to 50 days in jail in Denmark for assaulting a taxi driver. But the 30-year-old Rosenborg player has appealed and has been released until a hearing at a higher court. The incident took place in September, with the City Court of Copenhagen shown CCTV footage in which it appeared Bendtner struck the driver in the face. The Denmark international admitted hitting the taxi driver but said it was because he felt threatened. Bendtner said the driver threw a bottle or a can…

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Arsene Wenger rules out England move as he eyes 2019 return

Jason Bourne

Arsene Wenger has revealed he will return to management at the beginning of 2019 but would not be drawn on a potential destination although he has ruled out a return to England due to his Arsenal connections. The 69-year-old has been out of the game since leaving Arsenal at the end of last season after 22 years with the Premier League club. The Frenchman has been linked with the vacant coaching position at Real Madrid following the dismissal of Julen Lopetegui, but a move to the Spanish giants looks unlikely…

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Carabao Cup: Arsenal to host Spurs in quarter-finals

Jason Bourne

Arsenal have been drawn against north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals. The Gunners, last season’s beaten finalists, will host their neighbours at Emirates Stadium during the week starting 17 December. League One Burton Albion, the lowest-ranked team left in the competition, go to Championship side Middlesbrough. Chelsea host Bournemouth, while Leicester or Southampton will play the winner of Manchester City and Fulham. A rearranged date and kick-off time for Leicester’s tie against Southampton at King Power Stadium has yet to be confirmed. The match, originally scheduled…

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Wilshere admits he would’ve stayed at Arsenal if Wenger hadn’t left

Jason Bourne

Jack Wilshere has said he would not have joined West Ham had it not been for the departure of Arsene Wenger from Arsenal, claiming his former manager would have ensured his place in the Gunners’ first team. The 26-year-old midfielder joined West Ham on a three-year deal in July, ending his 17-year association with Arsenal in the aftermath of Wenger’s departure. Read the Barcelona vs Real Madrid betting preview for top tips for el clasico And Wilshere has said that Unai Emery’s arrival as head coach altered his prospects in north…

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Koscielny returns to Arsenal training as injury rehabilitation continues

Jason Bourne

Laurent Koscielny has returned to training with Arsenal as he continues his long rehabilitation back from the Achilles injury he suffered against Atletico Madrid in the Europa League semi-final in May. The injury ruled Koscielny out of France’s World Cup campaign which they ultimately won, and the defender has since announced his retirement from international football this week after complaining of the treatment he received at the hands of many, most notably France manager Didier Deschamps. Koscielny was expected to return in about six months following the injury, and although he…

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‘Germany needs Ozil’ – Wenger hopes playmaker makes international return

Jason Bourne

Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger hopes Mesut Ozil can be convinced to return to the Germany team after his retirement following the World Cup. Ozil cited the “treatment he received from the DFB” in his statement following the tournament, in which Germany flopped. Joachim Low’s team were unable to qualify from their group, and suffered humiliating defeats to Mexico and South Korea in Russia. Their poor form has only continued after the Russian showpiece, losing to both the Netherlands – who did not qualify for the World Cup – and world…

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Laurent Koscielny criticises Deschamps and retires from international football

Jason Bourne

France and Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny has retired from international duty after criticising manager Didier Deschamps for his treatment while recovering from injury. The defender ruptured an Achilles in the Europa League semi-final in May and missed out on France’s World Cup-winning campaign in Russia. Koscielny, 33, said “lots of people disappointed him” during his lay-off. “It feels like a hit on the back of the head,” he said. “When you are in good form, you have lots of friends. When you are injured… after a certain period of time,…

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Thierry Henry appointed as Monaco coach on three-year contract

Jason Bourne

Thierry Henry has been appointed by AS Monaco as the Ligue 1 club’s new head coach, replacing Leonardo Jardim. Henry has signed a three-year contract until 2021 at the club where he began his professional career. The former Arsenal and Barcelona forward will officially begin work on Monday, the club said in a statement. Henry, who won the Ligue 1 title at the Stade Louis II in 1997, told the club’s official website: “In the first place, I thank AS Monaco for giving me the opportunity to coach the team…

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Aaron Ramsey: I thought I had agreed new contract with Arsenal

Jason Bourne

Aaron Ramsey has revealed he thought he had reached an agreement with Arsenal over a new contract only for the club to perform a U-turn but he has promised to make what stands to be his 11th and final season in north London a memorable one. The 27-year-old, whose deal expires next June, made it clear it was the club’s decision to withdraw the offer of fresh terms rather than his own to walk away from the talks. “Everything has been going great with the club – we thought we…

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Borussia Dortmund teenager Jadon Sancho gets England squad call

Jason Bourne

Borussia Dortmund teenager Jadon Sancho was a surprise selection when England manager Gareth Southgate named a 25-man squad on Thursday for this month’s Nations League matches away to Croatia and Spain. Mason Mount and James Maddison were also given their first senior England call-ups by Southgate as it was announced that the 48-year-old had signed a new contract that will keep him with the national side until the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The 18-year-old Sancho was called up having already played in the Champions League for German club Dortmund, with…

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Arsenal’s Mkhitaryan to skip Europa game due to safety concerns

Jason Bourne

Arsenal will be without Henrikh Mkhtaryan when they travel to Azerbaijan for Thursday’s Europa League Group E fixture with Qarabag. The Gunners play at the Olympic Stadium in the capital city Baku, which will also host the tournament’s final next May, but Mkhitaryan has decided not to travel due to continuing tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Hostility remains over the disputed Nagorno Karabakh region, where a ceasefire was declared in 1994 after fighting erupted several years earlier. Those issues meant Mkhitaryan did not travel with Borussia Dortmund to a Europa…

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Aaron Ramsey set to leave Arsenal after club withdraw contract offer

Jason Bourne

Arsenal have withdrawn the offer of a new contract for Aaron Ramsey, meaning that the Wales midfielder could be sold in January or leave for nothing next summer. The club had been confident that Ramsey, whose current deal expires in June 2019, was ready to commit to fresh terms. A new four-year contract had been proposed but talks have broken down, alerting rival clubs to his availability. Ramsey was seeking a large pay rise, his demands influenced by how Mesut Özil had secured a new £350,000-a-week deal. There have been rumours at…

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No top 4 finish for Arsenal according to the bookies

Adl Admin

Arsenal currently sit seventh in the Premier League table after a turbulent start to this season’s campaign. Despite the Gunners only being three points behind Watford in fourth place and having three straight wins, the bookies are already ruling out a top 4 finish. Sure, it kicked off quite badly, with losses to Man City and Chelsea in the two first games. But since then, Arsenal have beaten West Ham at home and claimed two strong away wins against the likes of Cardiff and Newcastle. Yet, the odds for Arsenal,…

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Ivan Gazidis resigns as Arsenal Chief Executive to join AC Milan

Jason Bourne

Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis has resigned from his post and is now set to take up a position with AC Milan. Arsenal confirmed the news on Tuesday morning via social media after months of speculation over the South African’s future. Raul Sanllehi and Vinai Venkatesham appointed head of football and managing director respectively, as Ivan Gazidis leaves for A.C. Milan — Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) September 18, 2018 Raul Sanllehi, the club’s head of football relations, has been appointed as head of football, and Vinai Venkatesham currently chief commercial officer, becomes managing…

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Unai Emery insists Cech will continue passing from the back despite erratic display in Cardiff win

Jason Bourne

Arsenal manager Unai Emery has insisted Petr Cech will keep passing the ball from the back despite the veteran goalkeeper’s nervy showing in Sunday’s 3-2 win at Cardiff. Cech’s discomfort with the ball at his feet was obvious yet again and the 36-year-old almost lost the ball inside his area or passed it straight to an opposition player three times inside the opening 15 minutes of the game. The most damaging came when he presented Harry Arter with possession on the edge of the box, but the midfielder failed to hit…

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Arsenal’s Mustafi faces potential ban for goal celebration

Jason Bourne

Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi could be fined by the FA after celebrating by making the shape of the Albanian double-headed eagle against Cardiff City. The 26-year-old defender opened the scoring at the Cardiff City Stadium after rising highest to nod home Granit Xhaka’s corner and celebrated by making the political gesture. Xhaka and Switzerland team-mate Xherdan Shaqiri were both punished by FIFA at the World Cup for the celebration during their 2-1 win over Serbia. The Swiss duo could have faced match bans, but instead both were fined £7,600 ($9,850) for making the…

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Arsenal youngster Reiss Nelson set for Hoffenheim loan switch

Jason Bourne

Arsenal youngster Reiss Nelson is expected to join Hoffenheim on a season-long loan deal, according to a report in Goal. The 18-year-old is out of contract at the Emirates next summer but is expected to sign a new contract at the club before moving on to Germany. With the likes of Alex Iwobi and Danny Welbeck favoured above Nelson in the pecking order at Emirates Stadium, he has made the decision to move in an attempt to secure regular first-team football. He will follow his compatriot Jadon Sancho, who joined Borussia Dortmund last year after leaving Manchester City and…

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Ilkay Gundogan mounts impassioned defence of Ozil in Germany row

Jason Bourne

Ilkay Gundogan has offered his support to Mesut Ozil after his claims of racism in the German national football set-up. Ozil announced last month that he would no longer play for Germany so long as he felt like a victim of “racism and disrespect” from the German Football Association. The Arsenal midfielder was part of Germany’s failed World Cup squad this summer, with his participation in the tournament questioned by many after an image emerged of him posing with controversial Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Gundogan, who also posed for the pictures, and…

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Unai Emery denies rift with Ozil after leaving midfielder out of squad

Jason Bourne

Unai Emery has strongly denied reports that Mesut Özil was left out of Arsenal’s squad for the 3-1 victory over West Ham after a training ground argument with his manager. Özil was ruled out of Emery’s first win since succeeding Arsène Wenger because he was ill – the seventh occasion since the start of 2017 the midfielder has been listed as sick. Emery dismissed suggestions that Özil, who is one of Arsenal’s five nominated captains this season, had been absent after a row. The manager insisted the 29-year‑old was suffering with catarrh. “This…

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Arsène Wenger enjoying post-Arsenal life and is yet to decide next move

Jason Bourne

Arsène Wenger has indicated he will wait a few more weeks before deciding on his future but admitted he is enjoying his spare time since leaving Arsenal at the end of last season. Wenger, who stepped down in May after almost 22 years in charge, had initially expected to make a decision after the World Cup. But having worked as a pundit at the World Cup in Russia for beIN Sports, the Frenchman now intends to take a little longer to make up his mind as he takes an extended holiday…

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Emery backs Cech to keep his place against Chelsea

Jason Bourne

Unai Emery has backed Petr Cech to keep his place when his Arsenal side travel to play Chelsea in Saturday’s London derby despite the goalkeeper’s discomfort with the ball at his feet against Manchester City. Emery believes the goalkeeping selection is “easy” for this weekend’s challenge and the former Chelsea player is expected to keep his place ahead of the new arrival from Germany, Bernd Leno, who will get game time soon enough when the cup competitions begin, if not before. “Petr Cech can continue to start the match. I…

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David Ospina joins Napoli on loan deal from Arsenal

Jason Bourne

David Ospina has joined Napoli on loan with the Italian club having the option to buy the goalkeeper from Arsenal on a permanent basis. Ospina had fallen down the pecking order at the Premier League club following the arrival of Bernd Leno from Bayer Leverkusen for £19.2m this summer. With Leno and Petr Cech expected to battle it out to be new manager Unai Emery’s first choice goalkeeper, opportunities would have been few and far between for Ospina. The Colombian international joined Arsenal from Nice in July 2014 for £3m after impressing for…

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Petr Cech in row with Bayer Leverkusen over Twitter remarks

Jason Bourne

Petr Cech has become involved in a row with Bayer Leverkusen after the German club appeared to criticize his performance in Sunday’s 2-0 loss to Manchester City. Cech struggled with new manager Unai Emery’s demands to play the ball out of defence and almost scored an own goal after mis-hitting a back pass from Matteo Guendouzi. With Arsenal having spent £19.2m on former Leverkusen number Bernd Leno in the summer, it was slightly surprising to see Cech given the nod ahead of the German. A video of Cech almost scoring an…

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Stan Kroenke acquires 100% Arsenal ownership for £600m

Jason Bourne

Arsenal’s majority shareholder Stan Kroenke has acquired full ownership of the Premier League club after his £600m offer to buy the remainder of shares out of his control was accepted by the Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov and his company Red and White Securities which owns 30% of the outstanding shares. The American businessman previously owned 67% of the club’s total shares and this deal takes Arsenal’s value to £1.8bn, with Kroenke insisting his ambition is “to see it competing consistently to win the Premier League and the Champions League.” Kroenke is acting through his…

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