Arsene Wenger hints at no new Arsenal signing to replace Francis Coquelin

James Benge11 January 2018

Arsene Wenger has hinted at replacing the outgoing Francis Coquelin with Ainsley Maitland-Niles rather than further bolster Arsenal's squad in January.

Coquelin is set to join Valencia in a £12million deal, that will soon be confirmed, after struggling to establish himself in the Gunners' first team this season.

The 26-year-old has made just one start in the Premier League this season, playing 155 top-flight minutes in total, and failed to match the matchday squad entirely in eight of the previous 10 games.

“He goes to Valencia,” Wenger confirmed after Arsenal’s 0-0 EFL Cup semi-final first leg draw with Chelsea. He didn’t get enough games with us this season. He had an opportunity and I let him go.”

As to who will replace the tough-tackling midfielder, Wenger told Standard Sport: “First of all the best way to replace him now is to get [the injured] Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil back. After that, we see.

“I think Maitland-Niles had an outstanding performance tonight. He’s a defensive midfielder basically, what he’s doing at the moment will help him as well to develop as a player because he plays in a different position.

“But at some stage, I’ll play him in there because we have [Nacho] Monreal injured, [Sead] Kolasinac injured. They will come back.

“There will be an opening for him in midfield.”

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