Source: Daily_Mail
Wenger vow: I won't be spending our £50m windfall, reveals Arsenal boss
Arsene Wenger is still refusing to spend big money on strengthening his squad — despite being told he has up to £50million at his disposal.
The Arsenal manager last night risked infuriating a huge section of fans who want him to loosen the purse strings as his club announced a record profit of £35.2m after tax.
Chief executive Ivan Gazidis made it clear Wenger can have some of the £41m generated by the sales of Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure and also has the board’s blessing for a January transfer window raid.
But Wenger, who becomes Arsenal’s longest-serving manager on Thursday, remained adamant yesterday that there are no players available who can improve his squad.
‘I have nothing against spending money,’ he said. ‘People want me to buy strikers, but where do I put them? I don’t know. I have to then lose players who, for me, are world
class. It is not a personal thing; it is just that I have a squad that is strong enough to compete.
‘We have worked with the young players and I am at a stage where they are now coming out — Abou Diaby, Denilson, Alex Song, Cesc Fabregas, Theo Walcott, Carlos Vela, Aaron Ramsey.
‘I have so many players and, if I buy now in front of them, I will not find better players. I will not have a better team.’
Arsenal’s results for the year ending May 31 showed group turnover had risen from £223m to £313.3m, and matchday revenue from the Emirates Stadium has risen above £100m.
Gazidis said: ‘We obviously realised money on the sales of Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure and that money, together with the great financials that we’ve had, are available for investment.
‘We’re fortunate we have a manager who spends only when he believes he can add something of significance to our squad, and we think he’s proved that with Andrey Arshavin and Thomas Vermaelen.’
Wenger added: ‘I have always worked in clubs who make money, and I would not feel that I was doingmy job well if we lost money at the end of the season.’
