Alex Song is grateful to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger for allowing him to join Cameroon's Olympics squad.

"I talked to the boss and told him that my country wanted me to play and he told me that if I want to go I can as long as I come back to Arsenal and show him what I can do," he said.

"Arsenal have a young team and some very good players and when I get back I just need to stay fit and do all I can to get a chance of playing for the first team.

"I want to do well at the Olympics and at Arsenal and I need to perform the best I can.

"My career is very important and I want to play well and show people what I can do."

Though Song admits he would love to help his country to another Olympic gold he is equally keen on Premier League glory with Arsenal this season.

"I want to win something and winning a gold medal at the Olympics would be very important," he added. "But I don't have a preference, ideally I would like to win gold and the Premier League with Arsenal."