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Wenger: We don't sign superstars, we make them
Last updated at 20:32pm on 1st September 2007
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Arsene Wenger has defended his tight grip on the Arsenal purse strings by declaring: "We don't sign superstars, we make them".
If Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov is successful during the looming power struggle at the Emirates, Wenger could be armed with the spending power to rival even Chelsea.
Finished article: Cesc Fabregas
But the Frenchman insists that whoever triumphs in the boardroom, he will continue pursuing his policy of signing promising talent and turning them into big names.
Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Nicolas Anelka and latterly Cesc Fabregas are the pick of the players who arrived in north London as relative unknowns before developing into world-class players under the Arsenal boss.
And as Wenger is adamant that recruiting established stars does not represent value for money, he will continue to prize potential over experience.
"I'm not scared to spend big money. If there is a player that I feel we need then of course I will buy him," he said.
"But at Arsenal we make the superstars. If you find a special player then fine but I have not seen a number of what you might call world-class players available.
"Maybe some have a world-class price, but they are not all world-class players. If you sit down and give me £30million to buy one, could we find one?
"For £30million I will be told 'sorry he is not available and you can not have him for that price'.
"Chelsea maybe tried to sign Ronaldinho and they have more money than anyone in the world, but he has not joined them.
"For me, for £60million a guy must take the ball at the kick-off and score every time he touches the ball.
"The highest we have ever bid for a player was £15milllion for Antonio Reyes. We have never bid higher because the quality hasn't been there.
"I will only pay what I think a player is worth and there are not many world-class players better than we already have.
"I don't know why everybody wants us to buy. We have started the season well, qualified for the Champions League and are playing in a convincing way.
"We are in the process of turning Cesc Fabregas, Denilson and Abou Diaby into world-class players and I enjoy doing that. I buy maybe one player but I work with what is realistic.
"I have a team that I can honestly say will be successful. Are they hungry now? Yes."
He added: "I'm surprised that people think I have no money to spend. We were maybe a little bit short for a brief period but not now.
"We are not short of money and our results will come out soon and you will see."
Wenger believes his approach to squad building requires greater skill than buying established players, but is not concerned that his rivals in the Barclays Premier League will try to muscle in on his territory.
As prospective teenage signings know they will be given the opportunity to flourish at Arsenal, Wenger is confident the Emirates Stadium will always be their preferred destination.
"It's harder trick to pull off buying younger players," he said.
"But I am not that worried about the competition because players always go where they think they get a chance and not many clubs have the patience to give them that chance.
"They will make them wait until they think they are good enough.
"Because we start them early, they mature earlier and people integrated into our training sessions know exactly what they have to do."
Wenger's belief that the squad he has assembled can once again turn Arsenal into title challengers helps explain his decision to allow Thierry Henry to join Barcelona during the summer.
The 57-year-old hinted that Henry's presence was hindering the development of his younger players.
"The young players have to take more responsibility," he said.
"When he was here Thierry took on a lot of responsibility - when we didn't score he wanted more and more of the ball. The young players always thought he was the solution." Winger Alexander Hleb is unavailable for Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash with Portsmouth through illness.
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Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below?
Thank goodness for the sense of Arsene - No-one else could have taken a failed winger and turned him into a world class striker like he did with TH14. We look forward to seeing all of the other emerging stars - there are three as yet little unknown English youngsters currently playing in the World U17s who will be Arsenal's next generation all coming on nicely (look at the score sheet for England v Syria) and watch for the names Henri Lansbury, Rhys Murphy and Gavin Hoyte. Plus Fran Merida Perez is playing in the same tournament for Spain.
- Jayne Stephenson, Ely, UK
First lesson as an Arsenal fan is to believe in Wenger.
- Ola`, Kaduna, Nigeria
Add your comment
Last updated at 20:32pm on 1st September 2007
Comments (2)
Arsene Wenger has defended his tight grip on the Arsenal purse strings by declaring: "We don't sign superstars, we make them".
If Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov is successful during the looming power struggle at the Emirates, Wenger could be armed with the spending power to rival even Chelsea.
Finished article: Cesc Fabregas
But the Frenchman insists that whoever triumphs in the boardroom, he will continue pursuing his policy of signing promising talent and turning them into big names.
Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Nicolas Anelka and latterly Cesc Fabregas are the pick of the players who arrived in north London as relative unknowns before developing into world-class players under the Arsenal boss.
And as Wenger is adamant that recruiting established stars does not represent value for money, he will continue to prize potential over experience.
"I'm not scared to spend big money. If there is a player that I feel we need then of course I will buy him," he said.
"But at Arsenal we make the superstars. If you find a special player then fine but I have not seen a number of what you might call world-class players available.
"Maybe some have a world-class price, but they are not all world-class players. If you sit down and give me £30million to buy one, could we find one?
"For £30million I will be told 'sorry he is not available and you can not have him for that price'.
"Chelsea maybe tried to sign Ronaldinho and they have more money than anyone in the world, but he has not joined them.
"For me, for £60million a guy must take the ball at the kick-off and score every time he touches the ball.
"The highest we have ever bid for a player was £15milllion for Antonio Reyes. We have never bid higher because the quality hasn't been there.
"I will only pay what I think a player is worth and there are not many world-class players better than we already have.
"I don't know why everybody wants us to buy. We have started the season well, qualified for the Champions League and are playing in a convincing way.
"We are in the process of turning Cesc Fabregas, Denilson and Abou Diaby into world-class players and I enjoy doing that. I buy maybe one player but I work with what is realistic.
"I have a team that I can honestly say will be successful. Are they hungry now? Yes."
He added: "I'm surprised that people think I have no money to spend. We were maybe a little bit short for a brief period but not now.
"We are not short of money and our results will come out soon and you will see."
Wenger believes his approach to squad building requires greater skill than buying established players, but is not concerned that his rivals in the Barclays Premier League will try to muscle in on his territory.
As prospective teenage signings know they will be given the opportunity to flourish at Arsenal, Wenger is confident the Emirates Stadium will always be their preferred destination.
"It's harder trick to pull off buying younger players," he said.
"But I am not that worried about the competition because players always go where they think they get a chance and not many clubs have the patience to give them that chance.
"They will make them wait until they think they are good enough.
"Because we start them early, they mature earlier and people integrated into our training sessions know exactly what they have to do."
Wenger's belief that the squad he has assembled can once again turn Arsenal into title challengers helps explain his decision to allow Thierry Henry to join Barcelona during the summer.
The 57-year-old hinted that Henry's presence was hindering the development of his younger players.
"The young players have to take more responsibility," he said.
"When he was here Thierry took on a lot of responsibility - when we didn't score he wanted more and more of the ball. The young players always thought he was the solution." Winger Alexander Hleb is unavailable for Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash with Portsmouth through illness.
Share this article:What is this?Digg it | Del.icio.us | Reddit | Newsvine | Nowpublic
Add your comment Comments (2)
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below?
Thank goodness for the sense of Arsene - No-one else could have taken a failed winger and turned him into a world class striker like he did with TH14. We look forward to seeing all of the other emerging stars - there are three as yet little unknown English youngsters currently playing in the World U17s who will be Arsenal's next generation all coming on nicely (look at the score sheet for England v Syria) and watch for the names Henri Lansbury, Rhys Murphy and Gavin Hoyte. Plus Fran Merida Perez is playing in the same tournament for Spain.
- Jayne Stephenson, Ely, UK
First lesson as an Arsenal fan is to believe in Wenger.
- Ola`, Kaduna, Nigeria
Add your comment
Comment