Victor Wanyama celebrates his goal against Hull City.
NAIROBI, June 5 – Victor Wanyama has quashed talk he is angling for a move to FA Cup champions Arsenal or an offer has been made by the Gunners and will only think of potential transfers once he returns for pre-season training with Southampton.
Media reports in England that have gained traction worldwide suggest he would jump at the chance to join Arsenal having been forced to deny another Gunners link in April when he was quoted saying Arsene Wenger had spoken about him.
UK mass circulation tabloid, The Sun reported the Harambee Stars captain was under Wenger’s watch but speaking to Capital Sport, the midfield dynamo said he will only mull on a move away from Saint Mary’s when he rejoins them ahead of the 2015-16 campaign.
“I don’t know, maybe you tell me because I’ve read them as well. I will know what will happen when I go back to my club but at the moment I’m just helping Harambee Stars qualify for 2017 AFCON,” the 24-year-old responded when asked about the Gunners move.
He in turn shifted focus on the past season where he rediscovered his groove under Ronald Koeman who succeeded Argentine Mauricio Pochettino who signed him for the Saints in 2013 from Celtic.
Wanyama also warned the Football Association (FA) proposal to cap non-European Union players in English Premier League sides will diminish the competitiveness of the most lucrative top flight in the world.
The FA came up with the proposal in March in a bid to give young English players more game-time, targeting an increase from the current 35 per cent of local players in the Premier League to over 40.
The commission also proposed changes to work permit rules that will see only the best non-European foreign players be granted permission to play in England effective from May 1.
“I don’t believe in that because the foreign players makes it even better so I think without them it will never be the same,” Wanyama who joined Saints on a 12.5m pounds transfer told.
-Hull wonder-
With Southampton improving by one place up from 2013-14 season to finish seventh on 60 points, two behind Liverpool, the Kenya skipper said it was a good outing for them under new Dutch boss Koeman.
“The season was fantastic considering people had ruled us out. No one expected us to finish seventh, we are really grateful and hopefully come next season it will be even better,” he added.
The midfield maestro who has become a regular in Koeman’s starting XI scoring three goals against Swansea, Hull City and Sunderland in the EPL.
Wanyama rated his wonder strike against Hull as his favourite after helping the Saints secure maximum points when he scored a stunning 40-yard winner at the KC Stadium.
“We are happy with what we achieved and it was great scoring three. I’m hoping to improve next season. Hull remains my best, I saw the keeper had come off his line and knew this was my chance to get a goal and I did though I had to use hard technique,” he enthused.
Despite being a Manchester United fan, Wanyama said his most memorable matches of the season was when the Saints beat the Red Devils and Arsenal twice, in the premier league and eliminating Wenger charges in the third round of the Capital One Cup.
Against United, ‘big Vic’ as he is referred by his team-mates was instrumental in midfield alongside Steven Davis and Morgan Scheneiderlin to nullify former teammate Luke Shaw and England captain Wayne Rooney in a 1-0 win.
Wanyama was also in the squad that bundled out the Gunners 2-1 in the Capital One Cup before they beat Wenger’s men 2-0 in league in a game that he pocketed the Gunners’ potent midfield conductor Santi Cazorla.
“I have played well in most of the games but against all the big games was my best especially beating Manchester United and Arsenal was great,” the stocky midfielder said of the games where he turned man-of-the-match shifts.
