Gunners will spend, but not on Gerrard
Arsene Wenger has ruled Arsenal out of a summer move for Steven Gerrard, admitting he could not afford to challenge Chelsea for the England midfielder even if Liverpool are persuaded to sell.
Wenger vowed, however, that Arsenal will rival any other English club – apart from Chelsea – in the summer transfer market as he pledged to splash out on at least two established players.
The Arsenal boss is understood to have more than £20million to spend – and while he wants to keep his existing squad together, that sum may be increased if Ashley Cole or Jose Antonio Reyes should leave.
“This year, we have the money available and we will spend it if I find what is really needed for the squad – in any department,” he said.
“I have an under-21s team from one to 11. Then we have some exceptional players aged over 30 – like Robert Pires, Dennis Bergkamp and Sol Campbell.
“But we need a few more in the bracket from 24 to 27, who are established players.”
Gerrard – along with Michael Owen, David Trezeguet and Ledley King – would fit into that category, while other potential targets Shaun Wright-Phillips and Michael Essien are just a little younger.
Wenger nevertheless insisted: “I’m not especially after Steven Gerrard.
“I wouldn’t say no but I know from the start that he would not go from Liverpool for less than £30 million. Therefore I don’t even envisage buying him for one second.”
In any case, not only do Liverpool want to keep Gerrard but Chelsea are the favourites to land him if he should leave Merseyside.
Wenger faces the reality that he cannot hope to keep financial pace with a club funded by a billionaire with seemingly bottomless pockets.
“We cannot compete financially with Chelsea. Players won’t automatically go there – but if it’s down to financial issues they certainly will,” he conceded.
“It’s very bad for the transfer market. Whether it’s bad for the game, I don’t know, because they can build great teams.
“But there are just enough players in the world that we’re not necessarily all after the same ones.
“In any case, it’s not about what you’ve done; you are attractive for what you can do, the type of football you play and the way you live.”
Asked if he would match any other English club in the transfer market this summer, Wenger is nevertheless emphatic.
“Yes,” he replied immediately – despite having been outspent in the past two years by not only Manchester United but also Tottenham, whom Arsenal face in the Brclays Premiership at Highbury on Monday.
“Manchester United have always spent much more than Arsenal. They bought Wayne Rooney, Alan Smith and Louis Saha in the same year,” he pointed out.
“We have been in the same bracket as Tottenham, Liverpool and Newcastle maybe - but we’ve had the advantage of being in the Champions League each season.
“This summer, I will go for stability – not necessarily a revolution – but we will try to add one or two players.”
While Wenger may have to fight off another bid from Real Madrid for Patrick Vieira, he will try to keep his squad together and build Arsenal’s future around the youngsters coming through the ranks.
“Chelsea have benefited from players who are in the middle of their way up - like John Terry, Frank Lampard, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Damien Duff,” he said.
“We have players at the start of that climb up the mountain – like Cesc Fabregas, Jose Antonio Reyes, Robin van Persie and Philippe Senderos – but they are going quickly.
“We have to compete with Chelsea despite their unlimited resources, but I believe we still have the chance to beat them.
“It will be difficult. But I feel we’ve made up the difference that existed in December or January, and we are equal with them now.
“In life, money can be good or bad – it just depends how you use it. But it’s always better to have some!”
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