Wenger talks up Carrick
16 Sep 2006 - 12:35:26
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has admitted that he once tried to land England midfielder Michael Carrick, who joined Manchester United this summer in an £18.6million deal.
The Gunners chief targeted Carrick two years ago when Patrick Vieira looked like leaving Highbury to head to Real Madrid, however, when the Frenchman stayed put, Wenger shelved his interest.
He said: "I feel he made a big step up after West Ham.
"I felt that Manchester United had the need to take a central midfielder.
"They paid a bit more because Tottenham did not necessarily want to lose him. That is the explanation of his price.
"Manchester United maybe said 'we want him and if it costs a little bit more we will take him anyway because we want to build a big team'.
"But I personally rate him as a player because he nearly came here.
"When Vieira wanted to leave and asked for Real Madrid, it was Carrick I planned to replace him with.
"It did not happen because Vieira stayed and I felt, to make him come and not play - we had Edu, Vieira, Gilberto and Cesc Fabregas - it was unfair to him."
