Bendtner may return, says Wenger

Arsene Wenger has praised the loan move that sent Nicklas Bendtner to Juventus this summer.

But the Arsenal manager has also suggested that he could still return to the club permanently next season if he is a success.

After spending last season out on loan at fellow Premier League side Sunderland, Bendtner made it his mission to secure a move away from the Emirates this season in the pursuit of more guaranteed first-team football.

However, Wenger has hinted that if the striker does well during his time with the current Serie A champions in the upcoming campaign, that there may be a future still for him with Arsenal.

“Bendtner is a top player, he is an international striker for Denmark and he also scored two goals against Portugal (at Euro 2012),” Wenger told Sky Sports.

“I think that by playing for Juventus, he will improve and then he will come back to Arsenal. Juventus will enhance him for us.”

When asked about the Italian club’s interest in striker Robin van Persie, who eventually moved to Manchester United during the transfer window, Wenger believed that they were never seriously in the race for his signature due to a lack of finances to fund the move.

“Juventus would sell their players for 70 million and pay players from other teams only 1/10,” he said.

Arsenal recorded their first win of the new league season against Liverpool last weekend, with new signings Santi Cazorla and Lukas Podolski grabbing the goals.