LONDON, United Kingdom, Jan 27 – Arsene Wenger admits Olivier Giroud could be allowed to leave Arsenal this month – but only if the club can sign an adequate replacement.
Arsenal remain in the hunt for Borussia Dortmund frontman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after seeing a bid rejected for the Gabon international.
Wenger has confirmed that a swap deal involving Giroud-plus cash for Aubameyang is not a possibility, yet the 31-year-old has plenty of admirers elsewhere.
But unless Arsenal sign Aubameyang or another striker, then Giroud will be staying put at the Emirates in the transfer window.
Wenger said: “We will still recruit someone, it’s possible. I cannot tell you more, nothing to announce today. At the moment we stay where we are. It’s still possible but we are far from being close.
“I want Olivier to stay, I just told you that if nobody goes in, nobody goes out.
“Maybe one or two young players [will go] out on loan somewhere, [but] the experienced side of the squad will remain the same unless somebody comes in.”