Arsenal is a club that has the qualities I love - Arsene Wenger explains PSG snub

The 66-year-old takes his Arsenal side to face PSG in their opening Champions League Group A fixture of the season on Tuesday night as he closes in on 20 years in charge of the Gunners.

October will mark Wenger's managerial milestone but in recent years he has become a target for PSG and their wealthy backers, Qatari Sports Investments.

According to L'Equipe, they have tried three times to recruit Wenger but were knocked back in 2011, 2013 and 2014 as he opted to remain at the Emirates Stadium - despite enduring a decade-long run without silverware in recent times.

And Wenger insists it is his passion for Arsenal which has kept him in north London rather than take him back to his homeland.

Asked why he had not said yes to any of PSG's overtures, he replied: "Because I love where I am. I know well the owners (of PSG), but I feel always I remained loyal to Arsenal Football Club because I think it's a club that has the qualities I love

And, that's why.

"I like to come to Paris

It's a city I love, it's my country, a country I love

PSG are a good test for us

They're a team who are, in France, the team above everyone else.

"In France they always produce good football teams and players, so it's exciting to come to this city and compare to where we are this season compared to everyone else."

Current PSG boss Unai Emery has seen his start to life at the club begin with a stutter and the Ligue 1 champions sit seventh after taking one point from their last two outings.

The former Sevilla coach, who delivered three successive Europa League titles at Sevilla before leaving in the summer, declared his admiration for Wenger ahead of the meeting on Tuesday night.

And despite PSG's relatively poor start to the season, Wenger is expecting a tough test as he looks to guide Arsenal into the last 16 of the Champions League for the 17th consecutive season.

"I think PSG were missing a number of players (in recent games)," he said. "They had certain players who joined up a bit later, like us

Similar problems to the ones we face, but we'll see.

"I think they missed a number of players at the back

They were at the same hotel as us in Los Angeles and Thiago Silva got injured there

He's an important player for them.

"But they're clearly superior in the domestic league, so I expect a slightly different PSG in the Champions League."

PSG skipper Thiago has yet to feature this season after the injury suffered against Real Madrid in the friendly in the United States but Emery hopes he could feature against the Gunners.

Arsenal, too, have been given a defensive boost with the news Laurent Koscielny should be fit to take his place at the Parc des Princes, despite suffering a facial injury in Saturday's 2-1 win over Southampton having drawn the Gunners level with a superb overhead kick on his birthday.

But Wenger has confirmed he will be available and lauded him as one of the best defenders in the game. "I'd like to say yes," he replied when asked if Koscielny was one of the best defenders in the world.

"No-one is indispensable, but he has taken on a new status with us

He has experience, self-confidence. He's always had talent, and that hasn't always been recognised in France because he left Lorient, not a big club.

"So he didn't have the reputation he deserved

But he's made his name in English football

I think he's one of the best in the world

I hope he proves that tomorrow."

Source : PA

Source: PA