Arsenal Football Club News

• Nickname:Gunners
• Founded:1886
• Manager:Arsene Wenger

• Ground:Emirates
• Capacity:60,432

Wenger defends Arshavin deal

06 Feb 2009 - 14:39:45

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Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has insisted that his club's signing of Andrey Arshavin was completed correctly before the transfer deadline passed on Monday.

Doubts had been raised over the deal which saw the 27-year-old Russia international join the Gunners from Zenit St Petersburg, but Wenger is content that his club followed the correct procedures.

He said: "It was done in the last minute, but regularly. We have nothing to hide.

"We just did the deal very late in the afternoon, sent it to the Premier League and they ratified it.

"Of course, we want everybody to question the deal. If the deal was not right we would have cancelled the transfer and accepted it. We have done nothing wrong.

"We were not the only one in this case. In every transfer window you have at least ten or 15 clubs who have to wait until the next morning usually to get agreement from the Premier League.

"We just didn't want to announce it as long as it wasn't officially accepted."

Meanwhile, Wenger says it is unlikely that Arshavin will feature in the north London derby with Spurs this weekend as he is some way short of full match fitness.

"He is not fit at the moment because he had only ten days preparation after a long break," Wenger added.

"I will see what kind of shape he is in on Saturday to see if he will be involved in the squad or not. We are not in a hurry with him."