Arsene Wenger hints at quiet summer on transfers, backing current squad to ‘come back’ from Champs League blow
Arsenal boss aims to 'keep 90 per cent of these players together and find one or two more who strengthen the group'
ARSENE WENGER has suggested Arsenal need only “one or two” new players in the summer transfer window.
Whether he is around to help negotiate the deals remains to be seen, but the Gunners’ boss is convinced the squad is not in need of a major surgery.
A fifth-place finish means Arsenal have missed out on the Champions League for the first time since Wenger arrived in 1996.
But Wenger said: “I think this group of players is good enough to come back.
“They have learned a lot and they have gone through difficult periods this season and they have bounced back in a very strong way.
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“I think that will help them, absolutely, next season.
“But first I think we have to keep 90 per cent of these players together and find one or two more who strengthen the group, but we don’t need a lot.
“We don’t need many. But we need maybe top quality.”
That will especially be the case should top scorer Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil decide not to stick around.
Both players stated they will hold contact extension talks but failing to qualify for Europe’s top club competition may influence their decisions.
Arsenal could lose full back Hector Bellerin to Barcelona and replace him with Real Madrid right back Danilo.
And No 2 keeper David Ospina wants to quit the Emirates after getting fed up of playing second fiddle to Petr Cech.