Wenger not fazed by Chelsea
2005-08-05 09:48
London - Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is adamant that he will not be tempted into wasting his remaining transfer kitty in an effort to keep up with Chelsea's multi-million pound spending.
This summer, Chelsea have paid £21m for Shaun Wright-Phillips and have also recruited Asier del Horno while Michael Essien could still be on his way to Stamford Bridge from Lyon.
Alexander Hleb
In contrast, Arsenal have bought only Alexander Hleb in a deal that could be worth up to £10m, while Patrick Vieira was sold to Juventus for £13.7m.
"It is is not Chelsea's fault or my fault, it is just like it is," said Wenger.
"But everyone knows that they have plenty of money and, when they come in, they will buy for £20m what otherwise costs £10m.
"Do you really think Wright-Phillips would have cost 21m had Chelsea not come in for him? Frankly, we have to be honest. What would be his price?"
Two markets
When a figure of £10m to £12m was suggested, the Arsenal boss responded: "Exactly. There are two markets, one when Chelsea is in, which is quite lively and high, and one when Chelsea is not in, which is morose - all over Europe."
"What do you want me to do, go to the casino with the money?" asked Wenger, who faces Chelsea in Sunday's Community Shield tie.
"I could understand that the fans would be frustrated if we played bad football and didn't win our games but not because we haven't spent money. That's not a reason to be frustrated.
"I am not envious of Chelsea. There is a way to be successful and beat Chelsea despite the fact that they have more money than anybody else.
"There are enough good players in the world that you can always get good players. Real Madrid have spent more than Valencia, but they haven't won any trophies for two years."
- AFP