We must book Champions League spot

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admits his side needs to secure Champions League football to keep the club attractive in the transfer market.

The Gunners face Everton today in a match crucial to securing their place in the top four.

Wenger admits it would be “much more difficult” to sign new players if Arsenal could not offer them Champions League football.

“It is the first question you get asked by a player,” he said.

“Liverpool managed to do it because they have long-term contracts and they could keep (Luis) Suarez. If you imagine Liverpool without Suarez, they won’t play for the (Premier League) championship.”

Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey is set to be back in Arsenal’s squad for the first time this year after a thigh injury. Wenger feels the best is yet to come from the 23-year-old, who scored an impressive 13 goals in the opening part of the season.

“In training you see him in situations where he can score, and he repeats what he did before,” the Arsenal boss said.

Ramsey’s return comes as a welcome boost for Wenger ahead of Arsenal’s FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on April 7, with both playmaker Mesut Ozil and Jack Wilshere still not set to return.

“(When you are out for) three months, then it takes two or three weeks. Aaron has worked very hard for a while in training now. What he lacks is competition,” Wenger said.

The Gunners head to Goodison Park seven points off leaders Liverpool following last weekend’s morale-boosting 1-1 draw against Manchester City. However, Arsenal are also only four points ahead of fifth-placed Everton, who hold a match in hand.

Wenger said: “For us it is an opportunity to go up forward and as well an opportunity to make a distance with Everton of course. It is both.”

Arsenal will again be without centre-back Laurent Koscielny (calf) this weekend and midfielder Serge Gnabry (knee). Left-back Kieran Gibbs (ankle) is a doubt.

Meanwhile Everton manager Roberto Martinez insists neither the club’s future, nor that of on-loan striker Romelu Lukaku, will be defined by success or failure in their bid to qualify for the Champions League this season.

Lukaku’s agent claimed this week he had been speaking to Tottenham about the Belgium international, who is on loan from Chelsea, but suggested the prospect of Champions League football with Everton meant the Merseysiders still held the upper hand.

Martinez, however, believes tomorrow’s game — and indeed the rest of the season — is not pivotal to their progress as a club.

“It is not about getting to the Champions League or not, it is more about the focus of the club and we want to carry on growing,” he said.

“A lot has been said about that (Champions League determining Lukaku’s future) but I don’t think it is that straightforward.

“We want to be a football club who get into the Champions League consistently and that is important for a young footballer who wants to fulfil his potential.”

Victory for Everton would be a significant boost, having drawn at the Emirates Stadium in the league before losing an FA Cup quarter-final 4-1 there last month.

“The quarter-final left us with a sour taste and we need to make sure we use Sunday’s game and the effect of Goodison to perform as well as we can,” said Martinez, whose side are on a five-match unbeaten run.

“It could have a huge bearing because internally there is nothing better than carrying on a winning streak as that would allow you to go into the next 18 points with incredible momentum.”