Wenger: We can be champions without Vieira
Arsene Wenger has £13.7m (€19.9m) to spend and insists life and the pursuit of trophies must go on at Arsenal after Patrick Vieira’s departure.
The manager will be given the funds realised from Vieira’s sale to strengthen a squad he is already convinced will rise to the challenge of being without their former captain.
Vieira completed his transfer to the Italian champions today, with Arsenal allowing him to leave after several summers of fighting to keep him at Highbury.
Wenger said: “You have to respect that a player can have the second part of his career somewhere else. It leaves a massive hole because of his quality, presence and charisma and that’s not easy to replace.
“But we have done some work already with our players to face the challenge because that is what is in front of us.
“The experienced players have a big part to play now to show strength and character. I feel a massive player has left but that we still have enough quality to fight for the championship.”
Vieira passed the formality of a medical in Turin and the transfer is expected to keep him on his Arsenal salary, around £80,000 (€116,000) per week.
But whereas he had just two seasons left on his Gunners deal, with Juve he has signed for the next five years.
Arsenal will receive the Vieira fee in three chunks, spread over the next two years, and Wenger will be allowed to spend it all.
He lost another star midfielder Edu, who moved to Valencia earlier this summer, and may choose to strengthen in that area.
But Wenger, who has been strongly linked with Newcastle United’s Jermaine Jenas and Lyon’s Mahamadou Diarra, is not so short of midfielders.
He has already brought in Stuttgart’s Alexander Hleb to join Gilberto Silva, Freddie Ljungberg, Cesc Fabregas and Mathieu Flamini.
Wenger told Arsenal TV Online: “We are open (to strengthening) everywhere. Yes, I would like somebody to come in and if the right opportunity comes along we will take it, although the timing is not the best.”
Newcastle have indicated they want huge money for Jenas, while Wenger has rejected a move for Diarra out of hand.
Asked whether Arsenal were keen, he said: “Not really. He’s a player I like but we’re not really after him.
“He’s not for sale anyway. So therefore it is a name we have been linked with but we have not gone into any negotiations with his club.”
Wenger also recognises the loss of a leader, saying: “I feel I had a special relationship with Patrick.
“He had a tremendous impact on not only Arsenal but English football in general. We still have a lot of talent but we are not desperate. So let’s make sure everybody is fit for the season.
“Now we have to find another captain to lead the troops. I have not yet made up my mind and I have to do that in the next few weeks. I have many options among the experienced players but we have to stick together and work more as a unit and compensate for the massive departure of Patrick.”
Wenger promised: “The fee for him will not be used for the stadium, it will be used for the team exclusively. I can give you that guarantee.
“Use it now or later in the season? I don’t know. We don’t have any specific financial problem linked with the new stadium.
“It’s always a gamble to let a massive player go. He had a special place in our team, but it’s a challenge and an opportunity for a young player to show his qualities.
“I’m confident we will be strong next season and it depends how well we overcome that psychologically and how strong our spirit will be. The ideal solution is, of course, before you sell to have someone to replace him, but football doesn’t work like that.
“We had to play some big games without Patrick last year and that was always a massive blow but it was a good opportunity for young players to gain experience. That has given them confidence and they can take advantage of that at the start of the season.”
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