Arsène Wenger is always aware that his transfer policy can blow up in his face at any time.
The Arsenal manager has plenty of money at his disposal but has shunned the opportunity to splash big cash over the past few seasons. Major acquisitions have been made but the Frenchman persists in his policy of bringing in quality youngsters and raising them through the ranks “the Arsenal way”.
Recently an illuminating tale found its way into the English media. Over dinner Club director Danny Fiszman reportedly asked Wenger what he would do if he was handed a £100 million kitty. “I’d hand it back,” he supposedly replied.
It was brought up at FridayÂ’s press conference. WengerÂ’s explanation suggested he knows his team will thrive or die through his decisions. But he is quite happy to take on the responsibility.
“I said that because I think I would ruin the work I have done in the last five years,” he said. “You develop players and, just in the last minute, you put £30 million into a player who is not necessary better than the ones you have, just to keep everybody saying ‘oh, have you seen Arsenal, they’ve bought a super player’.
“There might come a time when I need to put my hands on it and I say ‘listen we need to put the money in for one special player who could give us a plus’. But I don’t see this player at the moment anywhere.
“Take Ronaldinho, maybe one year ago he was the best player in the world. Is he today? No. What people have problems to accept in football, like tennis, you can be No 1 in March and No 10 in November.
“You have to trust your judgement knowing you will make mistakes. I always say you have to be relaxed about that and smiling knowing that you have a bomb in the right hand and a hand grenade in your left and that it can explode in your face because you were wrong.”