Arsene Wenger 'hopes Sam Allardyce will clear his name' following undercover investigation ~ arsenal

Arsene Wenger hopes old foe Sam Allardyce will manage to clear his name following the undercover investigation that has left the England manager on the brink of unemployment.

Allardyce was secretly filmed by undercover reporters offering advice on how to bypass third party ownership rules, negotiating a bogus £400,000 speaking deal and also mocking his predecessor Roy Hodgson.

But Arsenal boss Wenger, who has clashed with Allardyce in the past, insisted he hoped the 61-year-old would manage to clear his name, and warned against judging people too quickly.

When asked about the film, Wenger said: “I can’t tell you anything about that. I haven’t even read the story. I would not like to come out on that.

"It’s too damageable and too heavy, you have to let Sam Allardyce defend himself and I hope he will clear his name."

Sam Allardyce filmed offering advice on how to bypass FA transfer rules — Video loading

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He added: "Nothing is proven. At the moment it is only suggestions. We live in a society that is very quick to accuse people.

"Sam Allardyce as well, until they have done something wrong [they shouldn’t be treated as guilty].”

Wenger was quick, however, to reiterate his opposition to third party ownership.

He said: "Third party ownership should not be allowed. I’ve been fighting against it for a long time.

"Clubs should own 100 per cent of their players.”

Shkodran Mustafi, Mesut Ozil, and Mathieu Debuchy at London Colney

Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin, meanwhile, is out of Wednesday's Champions League visit of Basel.

The 25-year-old suffered a knee injury in the weekend win over Chelsea and manager Wenger expects him to be out for up to three weeks.

Olivier Giroud is suspended after being sent off against Paris St Germain and Aaron Ramsey (hamstring), Per Mertesacker, Danny Welbeck and Carl Jenkinson (all knee) are out, while David Ospina is expected to start in goal.

Provisional squad: Cech, Ospina, Debuchy, Bellerin, Holding, Gabriel, Koscielny, Mustafi, Gibbs, Monreal, Elneny, Xhaka, Cazorla, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Sanchez, Walcott, Iwobi, Lucas, Akpom.