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LONDON. – Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal are finally ready to challenge for the English Premier League soccer title now they are no longer a selling club.
The Gunners boss admits years paying off Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium made it impossible to compete with Chelsea and the two Manchester clubs.
Wenger also claimed that Manchester United are abandoning the traditions of Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson by trying to buy their way to success.
Wenger has questioned Manchester United’s transfer policy, suggesting the club has sacrificed its principles in pursuit of glory.
The Arsenal manager says Louis van Gaal’s spending spree over the past two summers is evidence of a lack of patience within Old Trafford.
United have spent around £75 million on Memphis Depay, Morgan Schneiderlin, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Matteo Darmian after an outlay of £150 million 12 months ago.
The Frenchman reckons United have flexed financial muscle to the detriment of youth development and believes Louis van Gaal’s summer splurge is evidence of a club that has “no patience”.
Wenger also believes Arsenal have closed the gap on Chelsea.
The Blues have become a bogey team for the Gunners and Wenger has never tasted victory against Jose Mourinho.
However, Wenger has bristled at suggestions that Arsenal have an inferiority complex when it comes to facing the Blues.
“I don’t believe there is a mental problem playing Chelsea,” Wenger said as quoted by The Times.
“You [the media] created that, I don’t believe in that at all. When you have a good enough team you beat them.
“Our heaviest defeat last season was 2-0. It was against Chelsea. We have reduced the gap and I believe we are ready to go further.
“Chelsea have lost against weaker opponents than us as well.”
Wenger also sees no reason why the Gunners can’t challenge for the title next term, adding: “I know where the team can be at the end of the season. We will fight to win the Premier League.
“We have a chance, but I cannot guarantee it.”
And while he is not foolish enough to promise Arsenal fans their first title since the Invincibles of 2004, Wenger reckons they can compete with champions Chelsea once more.
He said: “Before I was more exposed to who will go and now the question I get more is, ‘Who will come?’. That means our potential on the market has changed.
“And if you ask me will we win the Premier League? We will try and give absolutely everything, but it will be a very open competition and I believe again there are five to six competitors.”
Wenger has added £10 million Chelsea keeper Petr Cech to his squad so far this summer and has hinted at another big-name signing.
But the real progress has come from not having to sell players without the funds to replace them, as happened in recent years with Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri and Robin van Persie.
Asked if he had headed into those selling seasons knowing Arsenal count not mount a title challenge, Wenger replied: “Of course. Why? Because when you lose your best players it is impossible.
“And you see opponents strengthen their squad, and they are already stronger than you.
“You just get into top four because you managed to grab every single point and see others still strengthening.
“On top of that you are losing your best players. It is difficult to be convinced you can still win the league.”
Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis and plenty of Arsenal fans believe Wenger’s greatest achievement in his two decades was keeping the Gunners among the elite during the transition from Highbury to The Emirates.
But he still has his critics and the extreme end of the “Wenger Out” brigade got their moment of fame when they verbally assaulted him at Stoke Station after a shock 3-2 defeat last December.
It was an attack that even Wenger was not fully prepared for.
He admitted: “I have big experience and experience helps you anticipate what you will face. I did not necessarily anticipate that.
“Even here, there are unpredictable responses. You would not necessarily expect people to insult you on the way to the train. It’s the way society has gone and you have to go with it.
“That’s where experience helps. You have a good assessment of who you are. And you’re not influenced by what people say, whether that’s too positive or too negative.” — The Daily Star.
Online Reporter