Legendary Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has said he would return to the club ‘if needed’.

Mikel Arteta remains under pressure at the Emirates after a poor start to the Premier League season which leaves the Gunners 13th in the Premier League table after 16 league games.

They ended a run of seven league matches without three points against Chelsea on Boxing Day and then followed that up with a 1-0 against Brighton & Hove Albion to offer Arteta some respite.

With Arsenal sat in 13th place under former player Arteta, Wenger was asked whether he would return to Arsenal to save the day.

Wenger told NBC Sports: “If I’m needed, I will help them, but I don’t expect that, no.”

The Frenchman lead Arsenal to three Premier League titles, seven FA Cups, and seven community shields.

Mateo Kovacic has spoken of his pleasure at seeing the ‘elegant’ Kai Havertz play for Chelsea.

Some doubters remain on the German midfielder following a slow start at Stamford Bridge but Kovacic is content that he will come good.

He told the Blues website: “I like a lot Kai Havertz. He is such a talented player. He is a great signing for Chelsea.

“He will be a huge player for Chelsea and for world football, I’m sure of that. He has huge potential.

“He is such an elegant player. He just needs to learn to play in the Premier League, that’s all.

“It’s a difficult league with a huge tempo, and he will get used to it. Game by game he is getting better so I have no fear for Kai.”

Chelsea star Hakim Ziyech appears to be winning his race to be fit for the side’s heavyweight clash with Manchester City after being pictured with the rest of his team-mates in training on Thursday.

Ziyech missed the start of the campaign after suffering a knee injury in pre-season – following his summer move from Ajax – and the 27-year-old’s frustrations continued earlier this month as he was forced off with a thigh problem in Chelsea’s win over Leeds.

It means Chelsea have been without Ziyech for their last six games and Frank Lampard has been reluctant to rush the Moroccan back too early, despite the club’s struggles without him.

However, speaking after the Blues’ draw with Aston Villa, Lampard said he was confident Ziyech would be available to take on City, should the much-anticipated Premier League encounter get the go-ahead this weekend.

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence,’ Lampard said when asked whether there was a strong correlation between Ziyech’s absence and Chelsea’s poor form.

“You can’t rely completely on it. But with Hakim, the way he was playing, he was very effective in terms of assists, chance creation, and we were very fluid at the time when he got injured against Leeds.

“Where is he at? There’s a possibility he could be fit for Man City if it goes ahead.”

Chelsea are yet to officially confirm whether Ziyech will feature at Stamford Bridge on Sunday but fans, according to the Metro, breathed a collective sigh of relief as the winger was spotted back at Cobham on New Year’s Eve.

The former Ajax star reposted Emerson Palmieri’s Instagram story of the pair of them in training earlier that day.

Photo Credit: Twitter

Real Madrid, Sevilla and Barcelona have been dealt a transfer blow amid reports they are eyeing Diego Costa.

Costa left Atletico Madrid on Tuesday after his contract was mutually terminated and is now looking for his next destination.

Spanish radio station Cadena Cope claim Costa has a clause in his contract whereby he would be forced to pay a staggering £23m if he were to join any of the three elite teams in Spain outside Atletico: Barca, Madrid or Sevilla.

And he would still need to pay £4.5m to join another “Champion” side, and £2.9m to sign for another less high-profile club.

Arsenal, Tottenham and Wolves are the three Premier League clubs which have shown interest for the star striker.

According to Goal, the ex-Chelsea star is more likely to move abroad rather than joining a Spanish team like Barcelona or Real because Atletico have agreed to let him go without putting their La Liga title bid at risk