“My job is to resist stress and pressure”, Wenger said, “while keeping my “blue head”, a phrase borrowed from the All Blacks, meaning clearly focusing on objectives despite external noise.
Advertisement
All of which makes the speculation of multiple big-money signings at the Emirates with just days left to go in the transfer market even more intriguing.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has spoken at length for the first time as the club close in on deals for Deportivo’s Lucas Perez and Valencia’s Shkodran Mustafi, according to the Mirror.
“We are working on the deals, we are not close enough to announce today”.
Asked if he envied Wenger’s impressive term in charge at one club, the Italian responded “Yes, with the right team”. You want to dream.
“If you look at the last season for example, it is not necessarily the club who bought the most that is in front”.
Watford boss Walter Mazzarri will take on Arsene Wenger and his Arsenal side on Saturday afternoon, with the Italian full of admiration for his opposite number’s career in North London.
Mustafi, in particular, will be a good signing.
“He was an important player at Valencia, he was their captain”. I think he has good link up qualities, good quality of receptions, good finishing qualities. Mustafi, on the other hand, has been one of the transfer sagas of the summer, with both Arsenal and Valencia going back and forth on the fee before finally agreeing on a reported £35m (m) fee.
Arsenal were then unable to reach an agreement over a fee for Toprak, who is rated as one of the Bundesliga’s most consistent defenders, with Leverkusen so renewed their attempts to land 24-year-old Germany worldwide Mustafi. The 27-year old Spaniard scored 17 goals in 37 games last season.
In fact, Cross and Maylon write that the Gunners were offered the chance to buy Perez back in July, but they decided against it despite having watched the forward in action many times. “He moved centrally and in a successful way”, Wenger said.
Advertisement
“And I think when I told you the transfer is linked of course with talent, the expected strength, but as well with resale”.
