Arsene Wenger admitted his frustration at uncertainty surrounding the future of Theo Walcott with the forward yet to come to an agreement over a new contract.
The 23-year-old is in the final year of his current deal, and has already turned down an offer worth £75,000 a week ($122,000). Walcott wants somewhere in the region of £100,000 a week ($162,000).
Wenger agreed the issue was troubling him, and said he had not decided whether Walcott would start Arsenal's opening Champions League game against Montpellier.
"It can, but at the moment, I still hope to extend his contract so, at the moment, it doesn't affect me," the Arsenal manager said. "Of course at some stage ... if, in April, it's not done, you can think it will be difficult to do."
Walcott received a mixed reaction from the the fans at the Emirates during Arsenal's last home game against Southampton. Asked if the reaction worried him, Wenger said: "Is the fans' reaction a worry? It is. "I think you want your players to be supported no matter what kind of contractual situation they are in.
"I hope it will not affect him and that it will not affect our fans. Theo has gone through a lot at 23 years of age. A lot of positives, a lot of negatives and he's level-headed."
Walcott can come to a pre-contract agreement with a club outside England, starting in January.
Wenger will also have another concern heading into Arsenal's fixture at Montpellier, with the Arsenal manager banned from the touchline for three games by UEFA.
"It is a nightmare," Wenger said. "Honestly, many people in UEFA, even (Michel) Platini, said that we should still let people work, even if they are suspended.
"It's part of the job and therefore a restriction of work. But I don't make a fuss of it. They love to suspend me. How should they punish people? Financially? But they do both. They punish you financially and they ban you.
"Honestly, nobody knows really, even at UEFA, what is allowed and not allowed. Let's not forget that I was suspended last year for having done what they told me I can do.
"When I went back there and said: 'Why do you want to punish me?' They said: 'Because you communicated with your bench.' I said: 'But you allowed me to do it.' They said: 'We made a mistake. But we are punishing you anyway'.
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