Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has revealed Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh are on the verge of moving away from the Emirate Stadium and doesn’t want to be drawn further on the Luis Suarez transfer saga.
According to a BBC Sport report, Suarez may consider heading to the Court of Arbitration for Sports after Liverpool turned down a £40m plus £1 offer, which could have triggered the clause included in the Uruguayan’s contract, allowing him to speak with his suitor.
But Wenger after watching his side lose to a Didier Drogba-inspired Galatasaray on Sunday will rather act professionally in his pursuit of Suarez.
Drogba twice scored in the last 12 minutes of the encounter to help the Turkish champions overturn a Theo Walcott half-time lead on their way to claiming the Emirate Cup at the London home of the Gunners.
Arsenal’s transfer activity dominated the post match conference; just as press men must have witnessed infuriated Gunners fans boo the team off the pitch at half-time- in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Napoli- and full-time after Sunday’s encounter- supporters urging Wenger to improve the team.
Wenger’s only summer signing is French forward Yaya Sanogo (on a free transfer), however, he insisted that the Gunners will not be drawn into a public auction for their primary target, Suarez, although not ruling out an improved offer.
“We try to do it properly, but a transfer is always an agreement between three parties and we have always done that until now,” said Wenger.
Suarez has not made secret his desire to play in Europe to the Merseyside outfit as it is understood that when the Uruguay international signed a new contract in August 2012, he requested a clause that allowed him to depart if Liverpool failed to qualify for Champions League and received a bid in excess of £40m.
With Liverpool already out of Europe in the 2013/14 season, Wenger is keeping fingers crossed on the tendency of landing Suarez.
“Let’s count first on what is here and if we can add something we will do, but it is very difficult to predict if something will be sorted out before we play in the Champions League qualifier.
“I think we have enough quality to achieve it with the players we have in at the moment and if we can have some more in before then, it’s even better.”
With the Gunners faithful excited over the arrival of new summer signings, Wenger disclosed that the duo of Ivory Coast international Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh are on the verge of quitting Arsenal.
“Gervinho is on a good way to Roma and Chamakh is on a good way to Crystal Palace,” Wenger revealed.
Moroccan Chamakh, a free transfer signing from Bordeaux in 2010, is set to become ‘The Eagles’ high-profile summer transfer signing after failing to force his way back into the Arsenal’s first team on conclusion of his loan spell at West Ham last season. It is not yet known whether it will be a loan or permanent deal.
Gervinho, who signed for the Gunners for £11m from Lille in 2011, arrived in Italy on Sunday to complete his transfer to Serie A side Roma for a reported £6.9m.
