With domestic football on a hiatus and Arsenal getting ready to head to Dubai for some warm weather training, I thought I’d see what was going on in the wacky world of Arsenal-adjacent news. I wasn’t disappointed.

WOLFSBURG, GERMANY - DECEMBER 11: Konstantinos Mavropanos of Stuttgart celebrates scoring the first goal during the Bundesliga match between VfL Wolfsburg and VfB Stuttgart at Volkswagen Arena on December 11, 2021 in Wolfsburg, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
WOLFSBURG, GERMANY – DECEMBER 11: Konstantinos Mavropanos of Stuttgart celebrates scoring the first goal during the Bundesliga match between VfL Wolfsburg and VfB Stuttgart at Volkswagen Arena on December 11, 2021 in Wolfsburg, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

In loan news, Bayern Munich have been urged by Lothar Matthaus to buy forgotten Arsenal centreback, Konstaninos Mavropanos, such is the impression he is making on loan, while Lucas Torreira has just been named Fiorentina’s player of the month.

https://twitter.com/acffiorentina/status/1485925363800756228?s=21

William Saliba is reportedly not overly happy about coming back to London and doesn’t see his future with Arsenal.

So, that’s all going well.

Speaking of things that didn’t go well, Emmanuel Adebayor has said he hates Arsenal (I believe the feeling is mutual, Manny), called Arsene Wenger fake, and says that there is no way back for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the club.

“Mourinho is the one of the managers I loved and will always love,” Adebayor said to Turkish television programme Beyond The Game.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 12: Emmanuel Adebayor of Manchester City celebrates in front of the Arsenal fans after scoring during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal at the City of Manchester Stadium on September 12, 2009 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
(Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

“He is one of the [most] honest managers I have met in my career, which is crazy because most of the managers are all kind of fake.

“As an example, I had a meeting with Arsene Wenger in his office when he told me I had to leave because he didn’t see my future anymore in Arsenal.

“So I didn’t have any other choice than joining Man City, who I was very happy to join.

“And the next day when I joined Manchester City I saw him doing a press conference in London saying that I wanted to leave because the money was big and everything and since that day that is where the hate for Arsenal came from.”

What Adebayor omits in his version of this story is that he had told Wenger he wanted to leave and then changed his mind. It was at that point Wenger said ‘nah, don’t bother, off you go.’

Still, perhaps he knows what he’s talking about when he talks about things he isn’t involved in.