Wenger on Giroud’s Emirates future

Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal will not allow Olivier Giroud to leave unless they get Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Arsenal are prepared to do business on Giroud in January with Chelsea interested and Borussia Dortmund are still open to taking him in a player-plus-cash deal with Aubameyang.

Gunners boss Wenger still wants a centre half - with West Brom’s Jonny Evans top of his list - but they would have to sell Giroud to get him off the wage bill to sign Aubameyang AND a defender.

It leaves Arsenal with a lot of work to be done and, while they are confident on Aubameyang, it is likely to go to the wire and that means Giroud and Evans are likely to be kept waiting in the merry-go-round.

Arsenal sent a delegation to Germany to negotiate with Dortmund for Aubameyang and have had two bids turned down with the Bundesliga club wanting £60m while the Gunners have so far only gone to £50m.

Wenger said: “I want Olivier to stay. I just told you if nobody comes in, nobody goes out. Maybe one or two young players out on loan somewhere, but the experienced side of the squad will remain the same unless somebody comes in.

“I can’t give you any special name, but will we still recruit somebody? It’s possible, we will try, but at the moment we are not close to signing anybody.”