Today, following the Gunners’ goalless draw with defending champions Leicester City, Wenger praised his center back Rob Holding, but said that he was sorry the player didn’t cost £55 million.
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Leicester started the defence of their Premier League crown with a surprise 2-1 loss away to Hull City last weekend and Wenger said: “The challenge for them is to do well again and to show that their a year ago was not a one-off”.
“I’m disappointed not to have ex-Arsenal players working at Arsenal”, he said.
“If I just bought someone for £45m will I have done well?”
He said: “I don’t understand why you say I am reluctant (to spend money)”. But spending the money in itself is not a quality.
“In our generation we had some fantastic players with the ball but the majority of the players were quite physically strong”.
And when asked about a potential deal for Valencia’s Shkodran Mustafi, Wenger added: “I believes it’s better I don’t talk about any individual player”. You should be happy, he’s English, he’s 20 years old, but I am sorry, he did not cost £55m so he can not be good and that is for me what is most disappointing for me. But at the end of the day, I have to make a decision that is right for the club.
Inexperienced duo Calum Chambers, 21, and new signing Rob Holding, 20, were partnered at the back for Sunday’s 4-3 defeat to Liverpool.
Wenger was then challenged in his post-match news conference to answer those calls and he responded with a forceful explanation that spending on large transfer fees does not guarantee the purchase of a good player. “I have made 400 transfers in my life and I know every one has a rhythm that you are not the only one to decide on”.
“We are struggling to find the players we need”. I think they can do it a bit more.
“You have two markets, one for the English clubs and one for the rest of Europe”, said the Frenchman. “It’s a team that is very well organised, it’s very hard to create chances”. On that front, I believe when you conceded four goals last week we have shown a great defensive performance.
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“We could have got more out of that but maybe we could’ve lost it in the last five minutes”.
