Arsenal to offer injury prone Abou Diaby new Pay-as-you-play Deal

Arsene Wenger has hinted injury-plagued Abou Diaby could be offered a new contract at Arsenal - but only on a pay-as-you-play basis.

Diaby, 28, made his latest comeback in a behind-closed-doors friendly with Brentford and is out of contract at the end of the season.

It is likely that Diaby - signed in January 2006 - will move on this summer and Wenger says a decision has been taken. But Wenger hinted that he could yet stay at the Emirates.

Gunners boss Wenger said: “By me, yes [a decision has been taken]. I had a chat with him and told him how I can envisage the future. He has to make a decision.

“Of course he understands completely that he has to perform and to show that he can be present on a consistent way.

“I will see where we go from there. I wouldn't like to go into details, we have to meet again to see where we go from what I told him. It has to be linked a little bit with his presence.”

Diaby has struggled since a career threatening ankle injury while he also suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury and this season has seen a series of aborted comebacks.

Wenger is hopeful that Mikel Arteta, Mathieu Debuchy and Jack Wilshere - who played in the friendly game - will also be back in contention.

Wenger says Danny Welbeck has a “small chance” of being fit to face Liverpool after he tweaked a knee while on England duty.

Frenchman Wenger also ridiculed the notion that Harry Kane has overtaken Welbeck in the pecking order of England strikers.

“We are not there yet,” smiled Wenger.

“Harry Kane played one game and it’s good for England to have many options and to choose the best one.

 “Welbeck until now has always been the chosen best one and I don’t see how on Friday night Roy Hodgson could change his mind.

“I don’t overlook him [Welbeck] personally because he’s played many, many games for us and I think he’s an important player who contributes a lot. Not only does he now score goals, but as well contributes a lot to the team work.

“He’s a team player and I believe technically he has improved a lot. When you look at him now I believe that technically he is much more mature, more composed in front of goal, the quality of his runs is getting better and he has huge, huge attributes.”

The Frenchman also denied he is going soft on discipline after Mesut Ozil was spotted in a Berlin nightclub after being given permission to miss Arsenal’s game at Newcastle because of illness.

“He went out for half an hour to a birthday of his friend to wish him well and then went home,” said Wenger.

“I’m not going soft on discipline. I've fined people when they work for us and don’t respect the discipline. On that front I don’t think you can stop anybody from wishing happy birthday to a friend when he is in his own country.”

Wenger also refused to be drawn into a discussion on Raheem Sterling’s contract stand off which comes as Mirror Football revealed this week that Arsenal are keen on the Liverpool winger.

But Wenger also laughed off reports that Arsenal had made an offer for Palermo striker Paulo Dybala.

Wenger said: “Raheem Sterling is a top player, everybody in the country knows that now. He is a very important player for Liverpool of course.

“I don’t want to interfere in that, especially 48 hours before the game. That’s down to Liverpool, I don’t want to interfere in that. It’s not my problem.

“Look, I do not want to speak about any move. We are not in a transfer period, we are in front of a big game. I respect Liverpool and I do not want to go into any supposed move for any of their players.”

On Dybala and the Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini's claim that Arsenal had made an offer, Wenger added: “Ask him to show you the offer. [There is no interest], not at all.”