Arsene Wenger says he wanted to keep Lukasz Fabianski at Arsenal to compete with Wojciech Szczesny for the No 1 shirt.

Fabianski joined Swansea City in the summer when his contract ran out after seven years in north London.

"When you get to 27 or 28 and you’re not a regular first choice, you can understand that a player wants to go" Arsene Wenger

The Poland goalkeeper is set to face the Gunners on Sunday for the first time since leaving, and Wenger says he cannot blame Fabianski for wanting a new challenge.

“I didn’t want to let him go, he was at the end of his contract,” Wenger admitted. “We didn’t sell the player but when you get to 27 or 28 and you’re not a regular first choice, you can understand that a player wants to go.”

The manager praised Fabianski’s new team and believes Arsenal face a difficult test at Liberty Stadium.

“They are a side who have always played well and they are stabilised in the Premier League,” Wenger said. “They have a way to play and when you go to Swansea you know you face a tough opponent.”

Former Gunner Lukasz Fabianski is likely to start

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