Arsene Wenger confirms that Arsenal did not offer Kieran Gibbs a new contract before move to West Brom

Arsene Wenger has confirmed Kieran Gibbs was not offered a new contract to stay at Arsenal but believes he should be proud of his career at the club.

As revealed by Standard Sport, Gibbs made a £7million move to West Brom last month and will come face-to-face with his former side when the Baggies travel to Emirates Stadium on Monday night.

Gibbs joined the Gunners aged 15 but chose to seek regular first-team football with just a new left on his contract. And Wenger said: “We didn’t offer him a new deal and that’s why he decided to go as well.

“It will strange to see him in a different shirt because he is a player who has been educated here from a very young age. I am sure that he will have great motivation and will have a huge influence at West from, and it can give another push to his career.

“He has become an English international here. He has made a good career here and I believe that Arsenal is very proud for that and Kieran Gibbs can be proud. What happened to Kieran Gibbs is he had been bothered [by injury] a few times when he was in front of our players. Many times he was a regular player here, but he had some fitness worries as well and that stopped him here.”