Wenger confirms Squillaci interest

(GSM) – Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Arsenal are hoping to sign Sebastien Squillaci from Sevilla, but admitted that a deal is some way from being completed.

The France international had requested to be left out of the starting XI for the clash with Braga in their UEFA Champions League play-off to avoid being cup-tied for European competition.

And Sevilla later revealed that the Gunners’ initial offer for the 30-year-old had been rejected with Squillaci having his heart set on a move to Emirates Stadium.

Wenger is keen to bolster his defensive ranks having seen William Gallas, Sol Campbell and Mikael Silvestre all depart over the summer.

And while he confirmed his interest in the former Olympique Lyon and Monaco man, the French tactician claimed he was just one of a number of transfer targets.

“He is one of the players we look at,” Wenger said.

“With central defenders we are short number-wise, so we look at him, but we are far from being close to signing him.”

Meanwhile, Squillaci will not be considered for selection by Sevilla for Saturday night’s Spanish Supercup second leg away to Barcelona.

The defender’s request to be left out against Braga left coach Antonio Alvarez angry at the time, but he now says the issue is water under the bridge.

“I didn’t like the fact that he didn’t want to play (against Braga), but the circumstances turned out that way,” he said at a press conference.

“I wasn’t going to lose a lot of time thinking about what could happen. I turned over a new page and forgot about the issue.”

Squillaci’s decision was reported to have caused unrest in the Sevilla dressing room before the Braga match, which the Spanish side lost 1-0 in Portugal, but Alvarez says those stories are false.

“Nothing happened,” he said. “I got the players together, told them that Squillaci wouldn’t play and that (Federico) Fazio would start in his place.”