Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger: Our squad will be strongest
ARSENE WENGER believes Tottenham’s free-spending transfer policy is flawed and insists Arsenal will have a stronger squad when the window closes.
Arsene Wenger has been making some bold claims
Wenger has still
not spent a penny in transfer fees, ahead of Monday’s 11pm deadline,
while Spurs have made a habit of breaking their transfer record this
summer on a spree part-bankrolled by Gareth Bale’s £86 million sale to
Real Madrid.
But Wenger believes the problems
are about to begin for Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas as he attempts to
integrate a host of new faces.
Spurs could
include at least four big-money newcomers – Roberto Soldado, Nacer
Chadli, Paulinho and Etienne Capoue – in the starting line-up in
tomorrow’s derby, while yesterday’s arrivals Vlad Chiriches, Erik Lamela
and Christian Eriksen will further boost numbers.
In
contrast, Wenger has so far attracted only free agents, veteran Mathieu
Flamini and youngster Yaya Sanogo and his intransigence has triggered
criticism from Arsenal supporters.
He repeated
yesterday he would not pay over the odds for a player – although he has
not given up hope of at least one more signing.
But the Frenchman insists the Gunners have no reason to envy Spurs’ approach.
Asked
if Arsenal would have the stronger squad, he said: “Yes. But I don’t
think about my squad like that. I think about whether my squad have a
chance to fight for the Premier League or not. We don’t compare to Spurs
especially.
“I know all the players they’ve
bought. Now we’ll see how they integrate and how well they do, but it’s
very difficult to predict that.
Vlad Chiriches joined Spurs yesterday to continue their summer spending spreeIn our job there is a technical risk when you buy more than three players because you unbalance a little bit the stability of your squad
“In our job there
is a technical risk when you buy more than three players because you
unbalance a little bit the stability of your squad. I know in England
it’s seen as a good thing to get new players but it’s always difficult
when you bring so many in to predict how well they will do.”
Wenger
has called Bale’s price-tag a “joke” and is adamant he will not be
drawn into a distorted market, adding: “Prices today are just linked
with financial power and the desire of the buyer. There are so few
players for whom it makes sense to pay over £50m.
“Monaco
buy Falcao for £60m but they have a 17,000 capacity stadium, they know
it doesn’t make sense. We have financial potential, but we will still
decide to pay the right price.”
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