• Premier League

Schwarzer speculation is unsettling Almunia - Wenger

Arsene Wenger has admitted that goalkeeper Manuel Almunia has been unsettled by persistent speculation linking Fulham's Mark Schwarzer to Arsenal.

The Gunners are known to have made at least one bid for Schwarzer, who has handed in a transfer request at Craven Cottage, as they bid to rectify the goalkeeping troubles that damaged their bid for the Premier League title last season.

Almunia is currently installed as Arsenal's No. 1 - having been in and out of the team last term - but his place in the side is under threat, and his shaky performance in the 1-1 draw with Liverpool last week did nothing to advance his case.

Wenger has now urged Almunia to use the competition for his place - Lukasz Fabianski, who featured regularly in Arsenal's pre-season, is breathing down his neck - to take his performances to the next level, starting with Saturday's game against Blackpool.

"For us what is important at the moment is that we focus on the players we have," Wenger said. "Almunia is No.1 - it is important that we give him the needed confidence, that we trust him, that we focus on tomorrow's game.

"It is a very sensitive subject which is difficult for me to talk about. You can understand that he is unsettled by that situation, but on the other hand, when you play at Arsenal, that is what you have to deal with.

"You have to be strong enough to deal with that and I believe he is. [Former Arsenal goalkeeper] Jens Lehmann had to deal with that situation because at some stage I took him out of the team and played Almunia, so competition is part of our world. We have to accept that."

Wenger confirmed that the Gunners have shown an interest in Sevilla defender Sebastien Squillaci as they look to bolster their defensive ranks. "He is one of the players we look at," he said. "With central defenders we are short number-wise, so we look at him, but we are far from being close to signing him."

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