Arsene Wenger reveals Arsenal aren’t close to any more transfers

ARSENE WENGER says Arsenal aren’t close to any transfers because they “signed a Greek boy”.

The Gunners boss added that he “looks good in training” after the 4-2 FA Cup shock at Nottingham Forest.

Wenger was referring to 20-year-old Konstantinos Mavropanos, who joined on from PAS Giannina a few days ago.

He said: “No. I can’t give you any news on any transfer because we are not close to signing anyone.

“We signed a Greek boy, who looks quite good in training. But apart from that we are not on anything.”

The Gunners boss also refused to discuss Nottingham Forest’s “double-kick” penaltyafter his side were dumped out of the FA Cup.

The defending champs fell to a 4-2 defeat at the City Ground on a miserable day for the Gunners, heightened by a spot-kick scored that should not have stood.

Everton loanee Kieran Dowell slipped as he ran up, with the ball hitting hit right foot after being kicked with his left.

It looped the opposite way to where he was aiming, beating David Ospina in the Arsenal goal to make it 4-2 and game over.

Wenger was watching the game from stands as he serves a three-match ban after admitting “abusive behaviour” towards referee Mike Dean after being furious at conceding an 89th-minute penalty in the Premier League draw with West Brom.

And in their last Premier League match against Chelsea, a 2-2 draw, the Frenchman was seething at Eden Hazard winning a penalty following a challenge from Hector Bellerin.

But after today’s demoralising defeat, Wenger refused to talk about Forest’s penalty.

Speaking after the game he said: “I don’t want to talk about that anymore, I’m a bit tired of that.

“We have to respond quickly on Wednesday we have a big game, focus on that one, semi-final for the league cup, we have to respond quickly.

“You never put disappointment behind you, the only thing that can help is to focus on the next game.

“We have won the FA Cup three times in four years, it’s a competition we love.”

Eric Lichaj had put Forest into an early lead before Per Mertesacker levelled the game just three minutes later.

But Lichaj, once of Aston Villa, volleyed in a sublime 25-yarder for 2-1 a minute before half-time.

Ben Brereton scored from the penalty spot in the second half after a clumsy challenge from Calum Chambers for 3-1, but Danny Welbeck bundled home for the Gunners to bring them to within a goal.

But five minutes from time ex-Arsenal defender Armand Traore was fouled in the box by Mathieu Debuchy, and Dowell stepped up to fire home, controversially.

Wenger was, however, honest in his assessment of how the game went.

He added: “I believe that overall we played against a Nottingham team who were sharp and dominated us from the front.

“We were a bit unlucky, but overall they were sharper and more dominant in the challenges, we lost too many challenges.”