This Arsenal star doesn’t believe what Wenger thinks of Man United hotshot

Sep 13, 2016 at 12:20 PM

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This Arsenal star doesn’t believe what Wenger thinks of Man United hotshot

Hector Bellerin insists PSG have not been affected by Ibrahimovic’s departure this summer. Bellerin is tipped for a start for Arsenal against PSG tonight in the Champions League.

PSG have endured a mixed start to the season – their first campaign without Ibrahimovic, who moved to Manchester United this summer, in four years.

But Spaniard Bellerin does not believe the absence of the 34-year-old striker makes PSG an easier opponent.

“As a club, they have lots of good players so I don’t think it affects them at all,” he said. “They have a really strong three and any player up front will be dangerous.

“We have to face the match in the same way that we would if Ibra was playing. We feel up for it.”

Ibrahimovic has already scored five goals for United since completing his free transfer from Paris.

Reports emerged on Sunday that United are already considering offering the Swede an extension on his current contract to keep him at the club until 2019.

Ibrahimovic is one a one-year deal at Old Trafford, with an option to extend his terms by a further 12 months.

Contrary to Bellerin, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes PSG have suffered a downturn since losing the striker.

“They will continue to be the dominant team in France but they lost more than a player with Ibrahimovic,” Wenger said.

“He was the leader, the captain, a charismatic carrier of the ambition of the club.

“It’s always difficult to measure when you lose a player of that stature, how big the damage is.

“At the moment they have also changed managers so they are trying to find their feet at the moment.”

Despite Bellerin’s insistence that PSG will not feel the loss of Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s departure to Manchester United, the 34-year-old scored 50 goals in 51 appearances last season, and finding a replacement for such a prolific striker is no easy task.

Cavani has been given the central role he’s desperately wanted since he joined from Napoli in 2013, but the Uruguayan’s inconsistency in his finishing poses major question marks over his ability to fully replace the Swede.

Arsenal were handed a fitness boost as Laurent Koscielny trained ahead of the Champions League showdown with PSG at the Parc des Princes.

The centre-back picked up an eye injury during Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Southampton, in which he scored a scissor-kick, but he was training at London Colney on Monday.

Arsene Wenger, who was able to rest some of his big name players in Saturday’s victory, is expected to field a strong line-up in the French capital.

New signing Shkodran Mustafi could partner Koscielny, with Arsenal missing their other centre-backs Per Mertesacker and Gabriel through injury.

Wenger has confirmed Koscielny has recovered well and is available, but Aaron Ramsey (hamstring) trained away from the main squad on Monday and will not travel to Paris.

Olivier Giroud is pushing for his first start of the season, having made two substitute appearances for the Gunners this campaign.

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