Wenger on Debuchy and Gnabry loan deals

Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Serge Gnabry will join a Championship side on loan while there is “still a possibility” Mathieu Debuchy could also leave.

Gnabry joined West Bromwich Albion on a season-long spell in August but was recalled after only making three appearances for the Baggies.

The Germany Under-21 midfielder had been sidelined for most of the 2014/15 campaign with a knee injury, and Wenger says that another loan move will be crucial for the 20-year-old’s development.

“Serge will go to the Championship but we have to decide where today,” the manager said. “I know approximately but I wouldn’t like to make a wrong announcement.

“It’s between two clubs and I want to give him some competition because he didn’t play at West Brom. It will be like what I did with Francis Coquelin last year and, if possible, I might call him back after.”

Hector Bellerin’s fine form has restricted Debuchy’s playing time and Wenger believes it is also important for the France defender to gain more minutes.

“Debuchy [leaving] is also a possibility,” he said. “It will be a loan to a Premier League team because it’s impossible to conclude a permanent move now. At the moment it doesn’t look likely but it is still a possibility.

“I never thought we would do much more [transfer business] but I told you that we would do at least one transfer and if possible I would have been open to one more. But there is a rarity on the market of players and it is difficult to conclude anything at the moment.

“Whether we are 100 per cent [sure that nobody else will join] is difficult to say, but 99 per cent, yes. A miracle can always happen, though. Someone can knock on your door and if Messi knocks on my door 5.50pm tonight, I will not say, ‘Please go back to Barcelona!’”