Benik Afobe leaves Arsenal for Wolves for undisclosed fee

Wolves have completed the signing of Benik Afobe from Arsenal.

 

The England U21 striker has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract after the two clubs agreed an undisclosed fee for his transfer.
Afobe, who scored 19 goals while on loan at League One MK Dons this season, leaves Arsenal without making a first-team appearance.
But the academy graduate has regularly represented England at youth and U21 level and has Championship experience from previous loan spells at Reading, Bolton, Millwall and Sheffield Wednesday.
Kenny Jackett was the Millwall manager who signed Afobe, and the Wolves boss told Sky Sports News HQ this week he has no doubt the 21-year-old will be a success at Molineux.
"At 21 we feel now he's ready to have a permanent home," Jackett said. "He's had several loans, and bringing him here, working with him, making sure he feels at home is going to be a big thing for Benik. I think he'll repay us very well."

Transfer news: Arsenal agree fee for Legia Warsaw youngster Krystian Bielik

Arsene Wenger has confirmed Arsenal have agreed a £2m fee with Legia Warsaw for young midfielder Krystian Bielik.

 

 

Arsenal beat a number of clubs, including Bundesliga side Hamburg, to the signature of the 17-year-old who underwent a medical on Friday morning.
The Poland youth international has made just six first-team appearances for Legia this season.
Wenger said: "He's a defensive midfielder, he is 6ft 2ins, he has a good energy level and a good technical level. Is £2m a lot of money? It is less than that but yes, it is a lot of money for a player if he doesn't succeed. If he does succeed, it's cheap.
"Of course, it's a gamble. But on what we saw, it's a gamble worth taking."
Earlier this week, Warsaw manager Henning Berg told Sky Sports News HQ that Bielik is an exceptional prospect.

Arsenal’s Oxlade-Chamberlain welcomes Liverpool star to Instagram

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has given his England team-mate Jordan Henderson a shout out after the Liverpool midfielder joined Instagram.

The Reds star decided to end his social media absence on Tuesday afternoon, becoming the latest high-profile Premier League star to sign up.

And Arsenal forward Oxlade-Chamberlain was clearly delighted to see the popular 24-year-old make the big leap to Instagram.
Oxlade-Chamberlain posted the above photo and wrote: “He’s finally on insta! Better late than never… Follow my man @jhenderson”
Henderson has been getting to grips with Instagram since the Liverpool vice-captain joined the ever-growing social media site.
Henderson’s opening post was accompanied with the photo below: “3 days ago Thought I would give Instagram a go! Thanks for all of your support.”
Henderson managed to snap Liverpool legend Steve McManaman earlier this week, presumably speaking to the BT Sport pundit ahead of the Reds’s early kick-off at Sunderland on Saturday.
Henderson uploaded the above photo and wrote: “Good speaking with Steve McManaman! #legend”

Arsene Wenger: Arsenal fans right to complain, or greedy?

Alexis Sanchez's status as the new golden boy of Arsenal was further secured with the late winner against Southampton on Wednesday.

The Chilean's 14th goal of an outstanding season since his £32m summer move from Barcelona completed an excellent week for Arsenal and manager Arsene Wenger after a Champions League win against Borussia Dortmund followed by victory at West Bromwich Albion.
Arsenal are in the Champions League second phase for the 15th successive season - and could still top Group D if they beat Galatasaray and Dortmund lose to Anderlecht - while victory over Saints lifted them to sixth in the Premier League, two points off the top four.
And yet there remains an air of unease and dissatisfaction among some Arsenal fans with 65-year-old Wenger and their team. A small group even brandished a banner at the final whistle at The Hawthorns emblazoned with the message: "Arsene - thanks for the memories but it's time to say goodbye."
Former chairman Peter Hill-Wood labelled the dissenters "ignorant people". So, are Arsenal's fans right to demand more or are they being too greedy in their desire for success?

Aaron Ramsey goal: Galatasaray strike stuns Arsenal team-mates

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger thought Aaron Ramsey was overly optimistic when half-volleying with his weaker foot from 30 yards, but what does he know?

The Welshman, 23, thundered the effort into the Galatasaray net from practically another postcode, drawing stunned looks from even his own team-mates.
It was his second of the match and a third in two outings, after he contributed a left-foot volley in defeat at Stoke City on Saturday.
But this one was from an altogether different planet and emphatically banished the 17-game goal drought which had followed the midfielder prior to his strike at the Britannia.

Arsenal first Premier League club to reach 5m Twitter followers

Arsenal have become the first Premier League club to reach five million followers on Twitter.

They are now the third most followed team behind Real Madrid and Barcelona.
"We are delighted to have engaged so many passionate Arsenal fans around the world," said Richard Clarke, managing editor of the club's media group.
"The interest continues to grow and we constantly evolve our approach to keep our fans engaged with what is happening across every aspect of the club."
Arsenal are sixth in the Premier League going into Christmas, 12 points behind leaders Chelsea, who have 4.85m Twitter followers.
They play their next fixture at home to London rivals QPR on Friday.

Arsenal's German international Mesut Ozil has more Twitter followers than his club

Mesut Ozil is Arsenal's most followed player on Twitter with 8.59m followers.

Arsene Wenger: Inter Milan interest in Lukas Podolski 'a joke'

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has dismissed Inter Milan's interest in Lukas Podolski as "a joke" and hopes the striker will stay with the Gunners.

Podolski, who joined Arsenal in 2012, has started only two matches this term.
Inter boss Roberto Mancini told Italian news channel Sport Mediaset that the 29-year-old forward is "part of a list of players that we are following".
But Wenger told a press conference: "That is a joke. Inter Milan are not serious. There's only talk."
Arsenal's attacking resources will be tested in forthcoming fixtures after Olivier Giroud was given a three-match suspension following his sending off against QPR, and Danny Welbeck injured his thigh in Sunday's win at West Ham.
"Podolski is a player of Arsenal Football Club and I want him to stay," Wenger said.
Asked if the Germany international would still be with the club after the January transfer window he added: "I hope so, yes."
The Frenchman appeared to rule out the possibility of a loan move for the forward when he said: "I don't doubt that in some situations players need experience, but that is not the case for Podolski."

Olivier Giroud: Arsenal striker sorry for headbutt - Arsene Wenger

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has admitted Olivier Giroud deserved to be sent off against QPR, but confirmed the striker has apologised for his dismissal.

Giroud, 28, was shown a red card for headbutting Nedum Onuoha in the second half of the Gunners' 2-1 victory.
"It was a deserved red card," said Wenger, celebrating his 400th Premier League win as Arsenal manager.
"Madness is a strong word - he didn't kill him. But he touched him and should not have done it."
Giroud will begin a three-match suspension, which includes league games against West Ham and Southampton and an FA Cup tie against Hull.
"Olivier Giroud knows he made a mistake and I know him well enough to think that he will not do it again," added Wenger, whose team are now sixth in the league.

Stan Kroenke: Arsenal shareholder behind NFL stadium plan

Arsenal shareholder Stan Kroenke is set to invest in a major new development which could see an NFL (National Football League) franchise return to Los Angeles, according to the LA Times.

Los Angeles is the United States's second city but does not currently have an NFL team.
Kroenke owns the Rams NFL, who are currently based in St Louis but were located in Los Angeles until 1994.
The American plans to build an 80,000-seater stadium in the Inglewood suburb.
He is the majority shareholder of Arsenal, owning 66.94% of the club. 
Inglewood Mayor James Butts said: "This proposal doesn't ask for nor will ever be offered any public funds, so what you have here is a developer, Stan Kroenke, who has invested in Inglewood and we are glad to have him here."
Kroenke has partnered with real estate firm in Stockbridge Capital Group, which owns the 238-acre Hollywood Park site in Inglewood.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was tempted to rest Alexis Sanchez

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said he was tempted to rest goalscorer Alexis Sanchez for the FA Cup win over Hull - but the Chile forward wanted to play.

Sanchez, 26, played a pivotal role as the holders earned a 2-0 third-round victory against last year's beaten finalists at the Emirates.
Sanchez's corner set up Gunners captain Per Mertesacker for the opener before he fired in a late second goal.
"He always wants to play and that is what you want to see," Wenger said.
Sanchez has become a key player for the Gunners since his £35m summer move from Barcelona, scoring 16 goals in a productive debut season in England so far.
Wenger, 65, made five changes from the starting XI which lost 2-0 at Southampton on New Year's Day, but still decided to lead the line with Sanchez against Hull.
"You look at the players who have that confidence and you are torn between when a player is that confident to keep him on playing or give him a rest," the Frenchman said.

Sometimes, you gotta kick a club when it's down...

I like Southampton. I do. At some level, in fact, I envy them. How many other clubs could lose a half-dozen key players and a highly-touted manager, go through the acrimony of almost seeing one of their most-coveted players come a bit unhinged during the turmoil, and actually come out ahead? Long gone, of course, are the likes of Shaw, Lallana, Dovren, Chambers (cough), and Lambert—but their departures are but accounted for with new signings like Pellè, Long, Tadic, and Forster, among others. Credit Southampton for reloading so effectively, but it does seem as if they haven't yet accounted for the absence of Schneiderlin, who is set to miss Wednesday's clash after coming up lame during Southampton's debacle against Man City.

Celtic tell Arsenal that defensive target Virgil Van Dijk he will be “very expensive

Delia hands warning to Wenger about his designs on talented centre-back.

Celtic manager Ronny Delia has told Arsenal that they will have to make them a huge offer if they are to have any chance of signing defender Virgil Van Dijk in the new year, according to talkSPORTThe Gunners had been linked with a move for the 23-year-old over the summer, but failed to make a concrete offer and he remained at Celtic Park.