Wenger - I won't break the bank in January


ArsèneWenger will not compromise Arsenal's financial future despite theclamour for him to 'splash the cash' during the transfer window.

TheFrenchman is expected to reinforce his squad before the deadline passesat 5pm on February 2 and, predictably, has already been linked with awhole host of players - many of them with huge price tags.

Wengerrefused to reveal his transfer budget at Friday's pre-match pressconference but he insisted he would not put Arsenal in jeopardy byfollowing in the footsteps of Chelsea and Manchester City and spending"crazy" money. As far as the manager is concerned, the long-termstability of the Club comes first.

"I don’t handle the situationlike that," explained Wenger. "I believe that what we want to do is notbasically linked with money - I read some ridiculous amounts of moneythat are completely crazy.

"When I accepted to stay [asmanager] I knew what would be available and what kind of restrictionswould be existing. I deal with that and have no regret and noimagination about how much money is available. What is most importantis the Club has built a new stadium and we live in a very strong andhealthy situation financially.

"You look how many clubs havedone that and we play at the top. How many clubs have managed to builda new stadium, have a good financial situation and continue to play atthe top? This team is together getting stronger and stronger but whatwe need to focus on is continually developing and not live in dreamlandwhere we are linked with players of £30-£40million because that’s notrealistic.

"Chelsea haven’t built a stadium and they lose£100million per year. How do you imagine you can deal with that atArsenal Football Club without going bankrupt? We have to beresponsible."

Arsenal fans waiting for developments this monthmay have to rein in their most outlandish expectations. Nonetheless,Wenger has proved in the past that you can buy world-class talentwithout breaking transfer records and he will look to do that again.

"Itis not that we don’t want to spend," added Wenger. "I believe that wehave gone for a policy and we need to have a logic and a line ofconduct inside the Club that has to be respected. We have gone for apolicy that is to develop our young players and we have to show somecharacter and strength and not listen to everybody who comes out everyday with a new name.

"We need to stick to what we have decidedand show strength and not change our way every week. In football thequality of the work is in knowing what you want and how much you wantit and how much effort you put in every day. For me the rest is notrealistic.

"If you look at the best players we have had overthe years - in the last 10 or 12 years - we have always played at thetop. The best players who have made a massive impact here are notalways the ones who have cost £30-£40million. I can cite you players inthe last 10 or 15 years who have cost £30million and have been a flop.It is not necessarily linked that you spend £30million and get amassive player."