Arsenal Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Djibril Sidibe and Serge Gnabry

France international Djibril Sidibe has explained why he turned down the chance to join Arsenal in the summer, instead opting for a switch to Monaco.

The former Lille talent said the Gunners gave him a "headache" just as he was about to join his new team, placing a bid for his services late in the day after he had agreed to a switch to the principality side.

According to Lee Astley of the Sun, Sidibe said he questioned how regularly he would play in the Premier League and debated his position under Arsene Wenger but added that a move to England remained an ambition:

"

I was on the brink [of signing for Monaco] and [Arsenal] gave me a headache by making a bid at the last moment.

Normally, you would jump at the opportunity but, after reflection, there were no guarantees over my playing time.

I could have played 25 matches a season with rotations and they were going to play me on the left and I wanted to play on the right.

I would, therefore, prefer to stay in Ligue 1 to get more opportunities and leave for the Premier League next year because it is a league [which] attracts me a lot.

"

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French publication L'Equipe (h/t the Daily Star's Lewis Winter) initially reported Wenger's interest in Sidibe in July, calling his signature a priority for Arsenal.

Matt Spiro of beIN Sports described the defender's strengths and weaknesses as Arsenal's interest in him was registered:

In other news, Werder Bremen sporting executive Frank Baumann has spoken out about Serge Gnabry's move to his club from Arsenal, saying the player made "a conscious decision" to leave north London.

The 21-year-old opted to transfer to Bremen after reduced opportunity under Wenger, and Baumann shed light on his reasons, as reported by Sean Kearns of Metro.co.uk:

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Serge made a conscious decision to make the step from a top club to a club where he gets minutes, and it wasn’t the worst step for him.

Serge knows what he has at Werder and that he can build something here. I don’t have any fears that he wants to leave. I hope that he will continue on the Werder path for many years.

"

The reaction to Wenger allowing Gnabry to leave with a season still remaining on his contract was far from positive, per Metro.co.uk's Oli Price-Bates and German football pundit Jan Aage Fjortoft:

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Arsenal's huge stock of attacking midfielders posed a tough hurdle for Gnabry to overcome, and despite his rounded talent, he simply could not demand the football he needed.

The player was one of Wenger's most popular youngsters with fans after a number of cameo appearances in the first team.

Gnabry might become the one who got away for the Gunners, and if he succeeds in the Bundesliga, his valuation could rocket upwards in the next couple of seasons.

The forward is blessed with natural talent and mobility, and it would be a surprise if he is not a raging success for Werder.