Intro:

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger dismisses Inter Milan's interest in Lukas Podolski as 'a joke' and hopes the forward will stay at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners play Southampton in the Premier League on New Year's Day.

Script:

SOUNDBITE: (English), Arsene Wenger (on Inter Milan's rumoured interest for Podolski):
"Well that is a joke. Inter Milan is not serious."

SOUNDBITE: (English), Arsene Wenger (on Lukas Podolski's future):
"Nothing. That he is a player of Arsenal Football Club and I want him to stay. Apart from that, what it is to be professional is that as long as you are somewhere, you give your best to justify your wages and your love for the club."

SOUNDBITE: (English), Arsene Wenger (assessment of year):
"In the Champions League unfortunately we went out against Bayern but overall, I think it was a positive year. This season we will see where we get - but I think we are some points short of what we could have achieved and it is time to catch back now until the end of the season the points that we lost."

SOUNDBITE: (English), Arsene Wenger (on Southampton):
"They were the surprise because there was a bit of an exodus there at the end of the season last year. They did very well, unexpectedly, because they benefited from the stability at the back and in midfield from last year and they added Mane, Pelle and Tadic who have done very well very quickly. That's why they are where they are."