Wenger ready for decisive season
03 Jul 2009 - 13:09:03
The French coach earlier this summer rejected the overtures of Real Madrid, who were reported to have made an offer worth around £6million a year, to "finish the job" he started back at Highbury more than a decade ago.
Arsenal, though, have so far made only one major move in the summer transfer market, bringing in Belgian defender Thomas Vermaelen, 23, from Ajax.
While the Gunners could yet step up their interest in Bordeaux's Moroccan striker Marouane Chamakh, but only should Emmanuel Adebayor leave, Wenger continues to talk about evolution and progression for his squad rather than a radical overhaul.
It is, however, a policy which has so far failed to deliver a first Premier League trophy for the cabinet of the impressive 60,000-seater Emirates Stadium.
Nevertheless, reaching the Champions League final of 2006 should certainly not be under-estimated. Indeed, but for some better fortune along with cooler heads in the games which mattered, both domestic and European silverware could have been safely locked away since.
Wenger, though, remains determined Arsenal will deliver come May 2010.
"I refused [Real Madrid] because I have built a young team and I have the feeling that I have not finished my job," Wenger told French radio station RMC.
"I am not denying it will be a decisive season. If we are not in the title race, we will have to build everything again."
Wenger, whose side finished fourth last term, reaching both the
semi-finals of the FA Cup and Champions League, added: "People always expect more than the previous season, but I already put the pressure on myself."
While harbouring no intention of leaving his post just yet, Wenger, who turns 60 in October, accepts he cannot go on forever.
"I am near the end of my career, I won't be coach for another 10 years," reflected Wenger, who fended off some stern criticism from sections of the Gunners fans last season.
"I have been at the club for 12 years and I do not want to go on even one year too much."
After failing to lure Wenger to the Bernabeu, Real eventually appointed Manuel Pellegrini and have since spent almost £140million on Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka, with another hefty price set to be paid for Lyon's Karim Benzema - who had been a target for both Manchester United and Arsenal.
Wenger, though, rejects the notion that simply spending money, however much, is the way forward.
"We have got an 'anti-Real' policy. We build on the long term, a bit like Barcelona," he said,
"There are two prices today, the price when Real Madrid buy and the market price.
"In the market, 35 million euros for Benzema is a very good price. But is he three times less good than Ronaldo? I don't think so."
Wenger added: "We do not need a lot of signings, only if there are players leaving.
"We have got a young team, which has an average age of 22 or 23, and one which is maturing - even if it can make mistakes like in semi-final of the Champions League this season."
Arsenal's first team squad are set to reassemble at London Colney on Monday, although captain Cesc Fabregas has been given some extra time off following his Confederations Cup campaign with Spain, along with England Under-21 pair Theo Walcott and Kieran Gibbs.
The Gunners start their preparations for the new season with the now traditional trip to Barnet on July 18 before a training camp in Austria and then the Emirates Cup on August 1/2.
