Football
ESPN staff 7y

Arsene Wenger says Arsenal 'have too many players' to be 'manageable'

Arsene Wenger says he expects Arsenal to sell some players before the end of the transfer window as the size of the current squad is "not manageable."

Arsenal suffered a 1-0 defeat at Stoke City on Saturday, but Wenger doesn't expect reinforcements to steady the ship.

Quite the opposite, in fact, as he expects to downsize before the window closes on Aug. 31.

"I expect to sell players first, that is all," Wenger told reporters after the game. "I expect some players to go because we have too many players and it is not manageable.

"Many clubs are in this situation which is why the transfer market is quiet. We have 33 players at the moment, and that is too many players."

The only outfield player Arsenal have sold this summer is Gabriel Paulista, who joined Valencia a day earlier.

Mathieu Debuchy and Carl Jenkinson have been linked to departures from the Emirates, while Wenger could also find himself choosing between selling Calum Chambers or Rob Holding.

Alexis Sanchez is the most coveted of Arsenal's player, with reports in Sunday's newspapers saying Manchester City will offer £70 million, though it remains to see if Wenger is willing to part with the Chilean.

But Wenger was in no mood to discuss who could be on the chopping block after the slim defeat, after which he criticised Arsenal's defence as well as the referee.

"I am not in transfer mode after a game like that. We are more disappointed at the moment rather than thinking about buying players straight away tonight."

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