Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger targeting ‘exceptional player’ in transfer window

ARSENAL boss Arsene Wenger says he is open to signing an ‘exceptional player’ in the remaining weeks of the transfer window.

Chelsea and Arsenal fans chant their hatred for Tottenham

Arsenal kick off their Premier League season this evening against Leicester City at the Emirates and their two summer signings - Sead Kolasinac and Alexandre Lacazette - are likely to make their debuts.

The Gunners have been linked with Monaco’s Thomas Lemar and Nice midfielder Jean Michael Seri but deals for both players are not imminent.

Arsenal have a big squad with a number of players surplus to requirements like Lucas Perez and Kieran Gibbs and Wenger has suggested Arsenal’s need to sign more players is being disrupted by their squad size.

We are open to an exceptional player

Arsene Wenger

"We are open to an exceptional player," he told Sky Sports. 

"However, just to remind you we have 33 players and they are all good players.

"That's unmanageable so to bring one more player in for the sake of it would be stupid, but if we find an exceptional one, we will do it."

Arsene WengerGETTY

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has a large squad to manage

One player who won’t be joining Arsenal is Riyad Mahrez.

The Leicester attacker has been linked with a move to the Emirates but Wenger insists says the 26-year-old won’t be coming.

"We were never close... I rate him as a player but we have similar types with [Alex] Iwobi and [Jack] Wilshere back,” he said. 

"[With] Ozil [too], we have plenty of the same type of players.”

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