Good morning, Arsenal fans. Here are your morning headlines for Friday, August 28.
Aouar responds to question on future
One of the many talents Arsenal have been linked with this summer is Houssem Aouar, the creative, attacking Lyon midfielder who has just received a call-up to the France national team.
The 22-year-old was asked about his future and potentially leaving Lyon in an interview with L’Equipe, via the Mirror, but simply pointed out that he hadn’t thought about departing without saying goodbye to fans because, as he put it, “I haven’t left yet”.
When pressed on the matter and what he wanted right now from his career, Aouar remained resolute in speaking only about Lyon.
"That one is very tough. I want us to start the league well. And that we beat Dijon, to start with."
Lyon are reported to want more than €50 million for their playmaker, who helped them reach the Champions League semi-finals this month.
Arteta rejects talk of wanting to offload Maitland-Niles
Ainsley Maitland-Niles has been rumoured to be on his way out of Arsenal this summer, but Mikel Arteta says he will continue to rely on the versatile midfielder.
“We are reading a lot of news about our players which is not bad that other clubs want him but with Ainsley, he's a player that I've said since I joined that I really like," he said.
"The best way to show that is that I have played him in the most important games of the season and he responded really well, so that's where we are with the player."
There had been a suggestion that Maitland-Niles wanted to leave on account of not getting game time in midfield; he started at left wing-back in the FA Cup final and did so again in a pre-season game recently.
Arteta says players can always talk to him about their progress and what’s expected of them in order to “find the right decision” for club and player alike.
Arteta on Saliba start
William Saliba is now back with Arsenal after a loan season with St-Etienne and is ready to challenge for a place in the Gunners’ first team.
Arteta has naturally been watching his defenders' early training sessions and pre-season performances with an eye on who will form part of his centre-back partnership this term.
And he says Saliba has been putting in the work to ensure he can show his best.
"He's been training really hard. He stayed here in London to do a better preparation and you can tell he looks ready,” Arteta said.
“There are a lot of things that are new for him and he will need to adapt but certainly he has the right qualities for this football club and the right attitude to keep improving and showing the player he can be for our future."
