Arsene Wenger faces the media on Friday morning ahead of Arsenal's clash with Everton.

The Gunners were the big spenders on deadline day as they broke their transfer record to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

He arrived at the Emirates in a £56m deal but that wasn't the only good news at the Emirates.

Arsenal have also tied Mesut Ozil down to a new deal, worth a staggering £350,000-a-week, making him their highest-paid player.

That's off-field issues dealt with but there are problems on it with Arsenal losing Swansea on Tuesday night.

Everton are in town this weekend and the Toffees have a shocking record in north London.

Wenger will be discussing all those details and much more today.

Gunners eye Oblak

Arsenal are likely to consider a move for Atletico Madrid stopper Jan Oblak this summer.

The Gunners brought in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan with Arsene Wenger insisting he was happy with his business.

He did concede he didn’t get everything he wanted though with a late move for Jonny Evans falling through.

And the London Evening Standard reports Arsenal will also look to bring in a new goalkeeper this summer.

David Ospina is set to leave the club while Petr Cech has come in for criticism in recent weeks.

Jan Oblak is a choice that would have the Liverpool fans salivating (
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Srdjan Stevanovic)

Eagles star Ajayi urges Aubameyang to follow his lead

Jay Ajayi has challenged Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to follow his example and lead Arsenal back to the big time.

The London-born running back and Gunners fan started the season in Miami before being traded on deadline day three months ago to Philadelphia.

His aggressive running style sparked the Eagles late in the season and helped them to reach Super Bowl LII where they take on the New England Patriots at US Bank Stadium on Sunday.

Now Ajayi hopes deadline-day signing Aubameyang can do the same for Arsene Wenger’s team.

Read here

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USA TODAY Sports)

Wenger refuses to hand Lacazette reassurance

Arsene Wenger has given Alexandre Lacazette no reassurances over his Arsenal future, saying: “We are in a competitive world.”

The Gunners broke the bank to sign the France international from Lyon in the summer, parting with a record £52million transfer fee.

But Lacazette has struggled for form in north London, and after Alexis Sanchez left Arsenal for Manchester United this January, Wenger was forced to react.

Full here

Wenger's Ozil demands

Arsene Wenger has called on Mesut Ozil to lead Arsenal into a bright future after committing his future to the club.

Germany international Ozil ended months of drawn-out negotiations and speculation over his future by inking a new deal at the Emirates on February 1.

Ozil, 29, had been in the last six months of his contract, but has penned a new three-and-a-half year deal with the Gunners, worth £350,000-a-week.

Full story here

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Image:
Mesut Ozil/Twitter)

Aubameyang debut in doubt

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s Arsenal debut is hanging in the balance after Arsene Wenger admitted the new £56million striker was “sick”.

The Gunners signed the Gabon international on transfer deadline day, after weeks of chasing his signature following Alexis Sanchez’s departure.

Aubameyang trained on his own for the first time at London Colney on Thursday, ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Everton.

He looked set to start his first ever game for the Gunners, in front of a home crowd at the Emirates, but could be set to miss out.

READ MORE HERE.

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Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Any reassurances to Lacazette?

I don’t reassure anybody.

It is a competitive sport and you must fight for your places.

You have to show them respect and they have to accept it is a competitive world.

It means we can play two up.

On the other hand, we lost three strikers - Walcott, Sanchez, Giroud.

You need at least two top strikers to play in the Premier League.

Holding midfielder?

I don’t want to comment on specific names.

It is a team problem.

Players must take individual responsibility.

Defensive problems

It is a lack of focus in vital moments.

At Swansea, we had 75 percent of possession and we are so obsessed with wanting to win the game.

But it is about finding the balance.

Did Arsenal get their targets?

What I wanted to do, I have done more.

But not everything I wanted. We could have done more.

We must find an internal solution to our defensive problems.

Overall I am happy with our transfer window.

More on Aubameyang

If he had played in the Premier League, the Bundesliga would be a good challenge.

There is no inferiority.

It is a new challenge where the football is more combative and intense.

Situation with Song

He is looking for a new club.

I allowed him to come in to work on his fitness.

Nothing more than that.

The motivation is to win the next game.

The target is to find a balance quickly that allows the individuals to express their talent.

On fitting all four attacking players in

It is always possible.

Will I do it? Maybe - I don’t know.

On race for top four

It is a big gap.

If we won at Swansea and Bournemouth, we would be two behind.

I want to qualify for the Champions League through the Premier League.

On home form

I don’t like the difference between home and away form.

It shouldn’t matter where you play.

I am especially unhappy with our away results.

For me, there is no difference when you are a footballer.

Will others follow Ozil?

You will see more and more players going to the end of their contract.

That is down to demands of wages so you cannot always give in.

Sanchez is a big example.

We started a long, long time ago but you can either accept the demands or not.

On failure to add defensive target

Our defensive numbers aren’t good enough.

We needed strengthening because we have to improve our defensive numbers to make the top four .

I will adapt to the difficulties we face and must see how the idea I have works.

We are flexible - we can play with a back three or four.

On Walcott's return

Theo Walcott played over 300 games for us.

I bought him when he was 16 and know how well he can be.

He will be a major threat for Everton.

We should not have lost.

January was a very difficult month for us.

As much as it was disappointing on the pitch, in the transfers it worked well.

Now we must show that on the pitch.

We have no room for any more defeats.

Why did Arsenal let Giroud join Chelsea?

Ideally, you don’t want him to go to a rival.

But it was very difficult on the family side to leave London.

We owe him a lot for his exceptional dedication and commitment to the club.

Wenger on Giroud exit

He was massively popular here.

Olivier wanted more playing time - and wants as well to go to the World Cup.

That is why I opened the door.”

On Ozil's responsibility

Many predicted he wouldn’t commit and not sign.

It is good news for us - if you can keep a player of that calibre is of course good news.

He has committed his future to the club at a period where we are in a tricky period.

We expect him to take responsibility to lead the club to success.

More on Aubameyang deal

It was difficult because of course Dortmund needed a replacement.


It was a cryptic deal because Giroud went to Chelsea and Batshuayi went to Dortmund.


That is why it was short in time and tense until the end.

Will Aubameyang make his debut?

We expected Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to make his debut on Saturday.

That is now in doubt.

Arsene Wenger has confirmed he has been suffering with sickness and a fever.

He will be assessed in the next 24 hours.

He started yesterday but wasn’t completely well.

I will see with the medical department.

Wenger confirms Henrikh Mkhitaryan will start while Jack Wilshere is back fit.

Wenger on Aubameyang

He is a typical striker with great pace and a good ratio between games played and goals scored.


He is a team player.


We lost some goals because we lost Sanchez, Giroud & Walcott who were our goalscorers.

Wenger has arrived!

Stay tuned

Aubameyang signing crucial for Ozil deal

Arsenal signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was the final factor to convince Mesut Ozil to stay at the Emirates, claim reports.

Ozil agreed a whopping new deal on Thursday and landing Aubameyang was the sign that the Gunners were going in the right direction that Ozil needed, says the Star.

Aubameyang meant Arsenal were able to replace departed Alexis Sanchez along with the arrival of Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

Of course, another major factor was the £350,000-a-week they are now paying Ozil and the fact that not even the Chinese Super League or Man United offered that much.

Read more Arsenal news here.

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Image:
Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Welcome

Mesut Ozil’s future has finally been decided with the long-time contract rebel announcing he’s agreed a new deal with Arsenal until 2021.

“Proud to announce: I signed dat thing,” the German tweeted today with a nod to the now-departed Theo Walcott.

He shared his delight at the new deal that will make him one of the highest paid players in the Premier League.

Arsenal has said farewell to Alexis Sanchez, with the Chilean moving to Manchester United in the January transfer window, and Ozil was set to be a free agent in the summer.

But Ozil, who was also tipped to leave the club with United and Barcelona among clubs linked, has won his battle for a pay rise.

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Image:
Mesut Ozil/Twitter)