It looks like Olivier Giroud still has a future at the Emirates after Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas revealed that Arsene Wenger had "refused" to let him sign for the French side.
Earlier this month the Gunners signed Alexandre Lacazette in a £52m deal from Lyon and it was rumoured in the days preceding the move that Giroud might be heading in the opposite direction.
Those whisperings came to naught, however, and it was then reported that Everton were interested in signing Giroud. But if Aulas's comments are anything to go by the Gallic goal scorer still remains part of Wenger's plans for the coming season.
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"I wanted to sign him," explained Aulas when asked by French paper Le Progres about Giroud. "But Arsene Wenger would not sell him."
And, according to the Evening Standard, West Ham have also withdrawn from the race to sign Giroud, presumably because of Wenger's intention to keep the striker.
Meanwhile The Independent reports that Turkish side Antalyaspor have "made an enquiry" for Arsenal playmaker Jack Wilshere. The injury-prone 25-year-old spent last season on loan at Bournemouth and according to the website "he is free to leave the Emirates" after Wenger decided he no longer had a future in north London.
West Ham, Swansea and Sampdoria have all expressed an interest in signing Wilshere and now Antalyaspor can be added to the list of suitors. "We made an enquiry and are in talks but Arsenal want a lot for Wilshere," confirmed Antalyaspor president Ali Safak Ozturk. "It will be a difficult move to pull off."
It's not known how much the club has tabled for Wilshere but according to the Independent Sampdoria had a £6m bid knocked back with Arsenal "holding out for closer to £20m".
Finally Lucas Perez says he feels "cheated" over his short-lived stay at the Emirates. The Spanish striker is poised to leave Arsenal in the coming weeks with The Sun reporting that he's likely to rejoin Deportivo, the club he left for north London 12 months ago.
"I feel cheated," said Perez. "In February I was not allowed to leave for China with the promise that I would play more and after that I had even fewer opportunities."
The final straw was the decision to hand Lacazette his number nine shirt before he's even left the club. "The thing of taking the shirt number without telling me to give it to a companion. It seems to me the last straw. I can not continue this way. I have given everything, but that has not been reciprocated, so I can't stand it any longer."
