Wilshere Arsenal omission could mean Newcastle switch

One Gunner who was nowhere to be seen on Friday night during Arsenal's thrilling 4-3 win over Leicester was Jack Wilshere, and The Sun says that the injury-prone playmaker "is resigned to leaving Arsenal".

That's good news for Newcastle with the paper claiming that Magpies manager Rafa Benitez wants to bring Wilshere to St James' Park to provide some inspiration in the middle of the park.

Arsene Wenger excused the 25-year-old's absence on Friday on account of Wilshere's continued rehabilitation from a fractured leg sustained last season while on loan at Bournemouth. But a source close to the player told the Sun that's just a fib from the Frenchman: "Jack is fit," said the source. "He is raring to go but has not been included in the squad. Wenger told the public that he isn’t ready but Jack is feeling in top condition."

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Benitez is said to be aware of Wilshere's predicament at the Emirates and has ordered Newcastle's bean counters "to pull out all the stops to get the England man".

The Sun alleges that Wilshere’s "preference is to stay at Arsenal" but faced with continued rejection from Wenger he is likely to accept Newcastle's advances , although the paper says that West Ham, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth are also interested in giving him regular game-time.

And Wilshere won't be the only Gunner to get his marching orders this month. The Mail on Sunday says that Wenger has his heart set on "reducing the club's bloated wage bill" in order to make some more big-name signings next year.

Monaco ace Thomas Lemar is the name at the top of his wishlist but according to the Mail the Gunners gaffer has "accepted" that the French champions won't sell him until next summer given that they've already flogged many of their top players in recent weeks.

Apparently Mathieu Debuchy, Kieran Gibbs, Carl Jenkinson, Lucas Perez and Joel Campbell have been told they "need to find new clubs", although for the moment there are no takers for the five flops. Meanwhile the Mail says that there is "increasing concern" at the Emirates over Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's future with Chelsea "keen" on making a move for the England winger who was in fine form in the win over Leicester.

And of course the rumours continue to swirl around Alexis Sanchez with The Sun reporting that the Chilean striker is "in the French capital with his girlfriend and agent". A move to Paris Saint-Germain has been mooted in recent weeks but the arrival of the Neymar was thought to have scuppered Sanchez's chance of joining PSG. However, the Sun claims that he's flown to France to "enter talks" about a move across the Channel.