Wenger: Arsenal had no interest in Zaha

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has denied Wilfried Zaha was ever likely to join the club but he remains committed to signing new players.

Crystal Palace’s Zaha is one of the hottest properties in English football, with Manchester United reportedly the favourites to secure the 20-year-old winger’s signature.

In another sign Arsenal are no longer a heavy hitter in the English Premier League when it comes to transfers, Crystal Palace’s reported price tag of 12 million pounds for Zaha has seemingly turned Wenger off the Ivory Coast-born player.

Wenger admitted last week that he was interested in bringing Zaha to Arsenal but then back-flipped on Tuesday, denying the England international had ever been a transfer target.

“I don’t know if he (Zaha) will go to Man United,” Wenger said.

“If he goes to Man United, good luck to him.

“We were never in for Zaha. Never.”

Despite ruling out a bid for Zaha, Wenger re-iterated his intention to bring in two new players in the January transfer window.

“We work very hard on it,” the Arsenal manager said.

But Wenger would not be drawn on whether Lyon midfielder Yoann Gourcuff is one the players on his list of transfer targets.

Lyon reportedly would like to sell Gourcuff to reduce their wage bill.

“I don’t give you any names,” Wenger said.

“I don’t come out on this (the Gourcuff situation) because it would put Lyon in a bad position.

“The player as well.

“You have to respect the player has a contract somewhere, is playing and as long as the transfer is not done for anybody it is best not to talk about it because it (may not) work (out).”