Former Arsenal goalkeeper, Emi Martinez has opened up on how he was treated when he was at Arsenal.

The Argentine wanted to be the number one choice but it never happened as he was favoured behind Bernd Leno.

Before his exit, Emi Martinez played a key role in the Gunners’ FA Cup triumph at the end of the 2019/20 season, but that could not earn him a place as the first choice in the team.

Speaking before his reunion with Arsenal as his Aston Villa team, Emi Martinez said Arsenal didn’t deserve him.

In his words ‘When I was on a high, I still felt like they didn’t deserve me because of the way they were treating me,’ said a still rueful Martinez ahead of tonight’s match.

‘They couldn’t guarantee me the games I needed so I thought that if they couldn’t guarantee me the games I needed, then I’m moving on.

‘They didn’t say to me that I wasn’t going to play, they just didn’t guarantee me the games that I wanted to play.

‘So, after 10 years, I decided to leave, and it was very difficult. My family didn’t understand why I was leaving when I was at such a good level at Arsenal, but it was my decision to leave and I’m really proud I did it.

‘It was a gamble, but I always believe that if you stay in the comfort zone, you will never reach anything in life. I decided to take the step up.’

MeanArsenal subsequently spent an initial £24million on Aaron Ramsdale during the summer window and the England Under-21 international has since gone on to usurp Leno.

It won’t be a surprise if Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain returns to the Emirates Stadium as Arsenal are being urged to meet his financial terms.

former Liverpool ace Steve McManaman said he can still be important for the Gunners if they agree to bring him.

Recall that Oxlade-Chamberlain made the switch from North London to Anfield in a £35million deal back in 2017 and had a very impressive time at the club before he was out as a result of an injury.

Pundit McManaman said Oxlade-Chamberlain is “without a doubt” worth the £35m that Liverpool could demand for his services.

“I think Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is easily worth the money,” McManaman told Horseracing.net.

“He did have that bad injury for Liverpool a couple of years ago against Roma and he was out for a long time. But sometimes that happens. Since then he’s been fit and well. He came on against Watford and played.

“If he wants to leave and play first team football that’s entirely up to him. The question is, is he worth that kind of money? And the answer is yes, without a doubt.

“It seems like a hell of a lot of money, but it’s not a lot when you look around and see the figures being paid by some other football teams.”

Chamberlain won the Champions League with Liverpool and could add an experience to the current and young Arsenal team.

Few months after leaving Arsenal, there are suggestions that Mesut Ozil could return to England as he is being linked with a move to Newcastle.

Newcastle United now have a new owner and there is a move to restructure the club to make it one of the biggest in the Premier League.

While Ozil, 33, spent seven years as an Arsenal player, his last days were not too good before his move To Fenerbahce.

However, after being linked by FourFourTwo, Ozil will see the chance to play in one of Europe’s best leagues alongside a huge wage to boot, which may be too hard to turn down.

This could be a turning point for Mesut Ozil and could be another opportunity for Mesut Ozil to make his feelings known on the pitch.

There are feelers that he would prove that he is still the player that is to be feared whenever he plays against the North London outfit and joining Newcastle will give him a better chance.

Recall that before he left Arsenal, Mesut Ozil was not used by manager Mikel Arteta for many months. Efforts to have him leave before the end of his contract failed as the German international insisted on seeing out his deal with the club.

Mikel Arteta claimed he had no personal issue with Mesut Ozil for snubbing him but that won’t be believed by anyone, especially after the player declared that he was fit to play.

Newcastle United now have a new owner who has the money to spend, hence, a major restructuring is expected at the club in terms of players and management staff.

Marc Overmars has been seen has an ideal candidate for the football director position and it is claimed that he would be approached by Newcastle United because of his impact at Ajax but Van der Vaart said he would prefer a move to Arsenal.

Overmars has become one of the most highly-rated director of footballs in Europe, having guided Ajax superbly over the last few years.

“He’s doing so well that everyone wants him,” Van der Vaart told Ziggo Sport, relayed by Voetbal Zone.

“What they have been doing for years, together with Edwin van der Sar, I think is great. It doesn’t surprise me.

“Maybe it is a nice challenge at Newcastle United, but I think he would much rather go to Arsenal. He has more of a connection with that, but I don’t think he’s going to do this.”

One major plus point for a move to Newcastle would be the money on offer, with their owners the richest in the world and willing to splash it in the transfer window.

“If you see what Marc Overmars has done for Ajax, with his purchase and sales policy, I think he is in a way out of his league at Ajax,” he added.

“He has done a fantastic job. I don’t think there is a better person for that position than him.

“The question is: is he also going to make so much profit for a club that is going to spend many millions?”

Nigel Winterburn has expressed fears that Alexandre Lacazette could leave Arsenal in the January transfer window.
He therefore admitted that he’ll be ‘disappointed’ if it happens.

Alexandre Lacazette’s current deal with the Gunners runs out at the end of the season and there is no offer on the table for him at press time.

‘It’s looking that way,’ Winterburn told Tribal Football when asked if Arsenal will regret losing Lacazette.

‘Arsenal’s policy, this season particularly, is to bring in younger players, but then you have to respect the decision on Lacazette’s behalf.

‘He may feel he isn’t getting enough game time and needs to move on or is he somebody who feels he might want to stay?

‘I don’t know those details, but anyone who has anything about them wants to play football and to me he’s a guy who thrives on playing games.

‘I’ll be disappointed to see him go if he does leave because I still think he has an important part to play for Arsenal.’

Recall that Alexandre Lacazette scored the equalizer for the North London outfit on Monday and that could have earned him the starting chance against Aston Villa.

Lacazette is is not known to be mentioned at the first call for selection under Mikel Arteta but many believes that he has a lot to offer to the club.

It will not be out of place to state that Jack Wilshere could be seeking another chance at Arsenal after hinting that he rejected opportunity to play for Derby County.

No doubt that the England international is in search of a new club after leaving Bournemouth at the end of last season but he is currently training with the Arsenal team.

The Rams were under a transfer embargo over the summer and could only sign short-term deals for free agents and loan signings but Wilshere rejected the approach from Derby County manager Wayne Rooney.

‘I did speak to Wazza [Rooney] actually in the summer,’ Wilshere told talkSPORT.

‘It was when Derby were under that embargo where they couldn’t buy anyone so…I went to Como instead, but I did think about it.

‘I played in the Championship last year and I did actually enjoy it. It’s a tough league. I don’t think it suited my style of play.’

Asked if he fancies the idea of playing abroad, he said ‘I’d like to go abroad actually,’ he said. ‘Obviously I would like to play in the Premier League as well. But I would also like to play abroad.

‘I’d like to go abroad actually,’ he said. ‘Obviously I would like to play in the Premier League as well. But I would also like to play abroad.

‘I’m training with Arsenal ‘til the end of January, the MLS start their pre-season in January.’

It’s obvious that Wilshere is keen to return to the pitch but it is not clear if he

Arsenal great, Ian Wright has suggested that Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira eying Mikel Arteta’s job at the Emirates Stadium.

Ian Wright is of the opinion that the former Arsenal captain will want to manage the Gunners some day.

This claim was made by Ian Write when he spoke on the Kelly and Wrighty show.

Vieira, 45, has made an excellent start to life as Palace gaffer – having joined the Eagles as Roy Hodgson’s replacement from French Ligue 1 outfit, Nice. He has a pedigree at Arsenal as a former player.

“I was worried for Patrick, you want him to do well,” Wright said. “With everything that was happening at Palace, that was a big old job.

“But he has done it, at a canter. There’s no way somewhere deep down in Patrick he’s not thinking about Arsenal, and then eventually, France.”

However, Mikel Arteta is currently not under any pressure as Arsenal manager and it is not sure any ambition by Vieira will happen anytime soon.

It has also been claimed that former players, including Thierry Henry will seek to manage Arsenal later in the future but that can only happen if Mikel Arteta is sacked.

Former Arsenal goalkeeper, Jens Lehmann has stated that Arsenal could have the chance of signing Erling Halaand next season.

This is not a story that would be believed by many because it sounds an ambition that is too big to be true.

Erling Halaand is one of the biggest strikers in the world today. He has a record of scoring 41 goals in 41 games and a number of top clubs are in battle to land his signature.

While Arsenal has never been mentioned, Jens Lehmann mentioned the Gunners and Man United as one of the two clubs he could likely join in the summer transfer window.

‘He already has an imposing stature; the force and height,’ the former goalkeeper told Bild. ‘Of course, he has to improve his [right] foot but I have never seen such a big, big player be so fast.

‘He’s still [at Dortmund]. There aren’t that many clubs where he can go and where he can make a difference.

‘Maybe he could go to Manchester United or Arsenal, where he could bring a club back to the top.’

Meanwhile, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and PSG have been linked with the signature of the Borussia Dortmund striker but it is yet to be known if the Bundesliga outfit will let him leave at the end of the season.

Howbeit, Arsenal are ambitious about young players within Erling Halaand’s age grade.

Do you think he would join Arsenal??