Wenger eager to keep hold of Wiltord
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has played down mounting rumours that Sylvain Wiltord could join Paris St Germain during the winter transfer window, revealing he has offered the France international a contract extension.
PSG coach Vahid Halilhodzic admitted the Paris outfit was on the lookout for new players in a bid to boost its Ligue 1 title ambitions with Wiltord appearing to fit the bill after an indifferent spell at Highbury this season.
But Wenger, who brought his fellow Frenchman to Arsenal from Bordeaux after his country's Euro 2000 success, has made clear he will not let his player go when the transfer window opens on January 1.
'Wiltord will not leave the club during the transfer window,' Wenger said. 'It is very simple for me, he will stay with us.'
The Frenchman has been out of form this campaign, playing 10 Premiership matches with the Gunners and scoring three times.
'Sylvain has been experiencing difficult times during which he picked up blows and then lost his confidence,' Wenger told Le Parisien. 'But now he is getting better, he is in better mental condition and he is motivated to come back.
'I am sure he will be very important to us by the end of the season.'
Wenger also claimed he had offered the player a contract extension to his present deal which expires in June - from January Wiltord will be able to hold discussions with other teams.
'I have asked him to extend his contract with us and for me the discussions about that will be on stand-by until March or April 2004,' Wenger added.
'We will decide then what to do but he is free to discuss with any other club by then.'
