Dortmund tell Arsenal : Hands off Gotze

Arsenal fans will get their first glimpse of German wunderkind Mario Gotze - but Borussia Dortmund have warned they shouldn't get used to him.

The 19-year-old is at the top of Arsene Wenger's wish-list, while Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are also in the hunt for the forward.

German international Gotze impressed in the clubs' first meeting of the Champions League group phase in September, and the £30m-rated teenager will now get his chance to shine at the Emirates as the clubs clash again.

But Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp insisted that Gotze will not be affected by the transfer tug-of-war - and confirmed he does not want to sell him in January.

"Nothing can happen in January. It's not a problem. Arsenal is only about 10 per cent of what is written in Germany, so it's not a problem," said Klopp.

"Apparently, Bayern Munich are interested in him. He scored one against Bayern Munich and I will be happy if he wins against Arsenal.

"Nobody buys a player from Borussia Dortmund just like that. Not even Arsenal.

"Luckily, his focus is not an issue. He's very relaxed about that."

Gotze was outstanding in Dortmund's away win over Bayern at the weekend and has promised that his team will go for all-out attack at the Emirates.

Arsenal need to win the match to secure qualification to the knock-out stage, but Gotze and Klopp have admitted it's also win or bust for Dortmund.

"This match comes at a good time for us after the win in Munich. We need to win and that's our objective," said Gotze.

"I've heard the rumours from the Premier League, but I never let that affect me. I'm only focused on Dortmund, now more than ever.

"We won't play a conservative system, that would be a mistake. We want to win and to do that we need to play an offensive game."

Klopp, meanwhile, added that it would be "fatal" for his side just to concentrate on Arsenal's in-form Dutch striker Robin van Persie.

"We won't have four men on Robin," he said. "The easiest way is that he doesn't get good balls and we have measures for that.

"It would be fatal to focus only on Van Persie. We have to take care of Theo Walcott and Aaron Ramsey - you get punished if you let them go. Song too.

"We have to focus on what we do - that will mean Arsenal cannot play their game. That is how we would like it."

Cesc: England need Wilshere for Euro 2012 success

Cesc Fabregas has taken a swipe at ­Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood – and claimed England desperately need his pal Jack Wilshere back for the Euros.

Hill-Wood claimed Fabregas would struggle to get into the Barcelona first team but he has proved him wrong by becoming a regular at the Nou Camp.

The former Arsenal captain was also damning about England’s negative tactics and said they will rely heavily on Wilshere returning to fitness to stand a chance next summer.

Fabregas, 24, also claimed he wants another ex-team-mate, Robin van Persie, to stay at Arsenal because he’s desperate to see his old club do well.

“Some people thought I wouldn’t get in the team [at Barca],” said Fabregas. “Maybe they didn’t believe in me too much. I speak to the boys at Arsenal.

“Arsenal gave me everything and I will never forget that. It will always be a special club. The fans have always been amazing to me. I only have amazing words to say about them.

“It was a shame they started so badly but now they are back to winning ways and doing well.”

Fabregas also believes next summer will bring the biggest decision of van Persie’s career and, while he says the Dutch striker is world class, he believes he could stay at the Emirates.

“He is having an amazing season. Hopefully he’ll be fit for the whole season. Unfortunately when I was there, he never enjoyed a whole season and it was one of the things I regret a little bit,” said Fabregas.

“He is a key player. I hope he can keep going like that. I don’t know if they will keep him. It is his decision.

“At his age, if he wants to move it will be his last chance and if he wants to stay he will stay and retire at Arsenal. We will see what he decides but he’s been very loyal to Arsenal for a few years.

“He is a key player, the fans love him. For me, he is the role model of Arsenal, the star player and they cannot afford to lose him. He would fit in anywhere but I’m an Arsenal fan and I want him to stay at Arsenal.”

Fabregas is a huge fan of Wilshere and believes the Arsenal youngster will make all the difference for England when he returns from injury.

He believes the absence of Wilshere and Wayne Rooney was the reason England sat so deep against Spain and ended up frustrating the world champions.

“Normally England don’t play like that when Wayne Rooney and Jack Wilshere are available,” said Fabregas. “But unfortunately they were without a few players and maybe it was an obligation to play like that.

“Overall, England are a very solid team and if they have Jack back it will make a massive difference. He has the talent to make things happen.

“We saw two very different styles of teams. One defensive and one trying to play football and trying to score goals.

“In the end the one trying to score goals didn’t and the one not trying did. So it was a very weird game.

“We are getting used to this kind of game but that’s not an excuse. We knew the only way they could score was from a set-piece and we conceded a bad free-kick and they scored.

“You cannot say it doesn’t matter. Spain are the world and European champions and we always want to win but we definitely prefer to lose this than in an important game.

“We lost friendly games to Argentina, Portugal and Italy and still won the World Cup.”

Fabregas praised Scott Parker’s performance but was disparaging about Fabio Capello’s approach to the friendly and added: “It’s difficult to say who played well for England. They were defending the whole game.

“Scott Parker runs a lot and has very good discipline. With the ball he was quite good when he was involved.

“But they had 10 men behind the ball and that makes it much more solid and compact. We will see more when they play offensive football.”

Squillaci targeted for loan move

West Ham have had a move to sign Arsenal misfit Sebastien Squillaci on loan knocked back.

The Gunners are ready to listen to offers for the 31-year-old French defender, but it is left loaning him out now could jeopardise a permanent move to another club in January.

Squillaci has already appeared for Arsenal in the Carling Cup this season, and players can only turn out for three clubs in a single campaign with special dispensation - which is usually only granted for young players or those involved in contract disputes.

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce, who signed Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia on loan earlier this season, is after emergency cover in defence as Hammers pursue an instant return to the Premier League.

A permanent deal for Squillaci with the east London side is thought to be unlikely.

Barca target Alex Song

Alex Song is a target for ­Barcelona.

The 24 year old Arsenal midfield player is seen as the ideal replacement for Mali international Seydou Keita who plans to quit the Camp Nou next June.

Song has impressed ­Gunners’ manager Arsene Wenger this season and ­Arsenal have already made one attempt to secure the Cameroon international on a longer deal.

There are still more than three years to run on his current contract but Wenger views Song as a major asset as his versatility has seen him play him in both ­central defence and midfield.

Arsenal’s initial offer was rejected, but Wenger is determined and is certain to come back in an attempt to keep Song for another four years at least.

If Song refuses the offer Barcelona are ready to swoop next summer.

They are ready to pay more than £15million and manager Pep Guardiola will first talk to former Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas.

Fabregas, "who moved to Barcelona from Arsenal for £35m in the summer, rates his ex-team-mate highly so that will tempt Guardiola."

Song is reluctant to uproot his family from London, but might well be tempted by the once-in-a-lifetime chance to play for the team currently rated the best in world football.

Joey Barton hits out at Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood to reiterate claims that the Gunners tried to sign him

QPR midfielder Joey Barton has insisted that Arsenal attempted to sign him in the summer, after seeing his claims dismissed by Gunners chairman Peter Hill-Wood.


Barton had previously stated that a clash with Gervinho in the first game of the season may have cost him a move to Arsenal upon leaving Newcastle United at the end of the transfer window.

He told The Sunday Mirror: "Peter Hill-Wood said they never had any serious interest in me, I just don't understand. The dialogue between him and his coaching staff has broken down so severely that he doesn't know what's going on at his football club.

"I don't know [why Hill-Wood said that]. Fair enough if I was claiming to sign for Real Madrid or Barcelona or Manchester City or Manchester United, but I don't think it's that big of a shout to say Arsenal were after me because it's definitely a club in - what shall I say? - transition."

The former Manchester City man also went on to express his shock at Arsenal's decline and poor current form.

The Gunners sit in 15th place in the Premier League following a poor start to the season and have struggled through their Champions League ties.

Barton continued: "Financially, they have put themselves in a great position but I don't know what's happening there.

"I don't understand. You look at Arsenal and you think, 'Well, they obviously have an abundance of money'. Their stadium is almost paid for. I would say, financially, they are the most well-run club in the league, barring Manchester City.

"I watched them the other day, it's a very different side from that great team they had with Petit and Vieira. If I was an Arsenal fan... well.

"It's nothing to do with me because it's not my football club but, even so, I like to see those great English sides do well. I remember watching the Champions League and Arsenal against Olympiakos at home was a shoo-in, four or five-nil win for Arsenal, but they made hard work of it. But this is the game we're in."