Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger spoke to the media on Thursday morning about a number of different subjects – but one that was of course on the mind of many, was why the club did not sign anyone as the transfer deadline closed in last week.
The Frenchman is well-known for sticking to his guns and believing in the player’s he already has at his disposal rather than sticking his hand in his pocket and signing someone for huge amounts of money, although the latter is something that he has done more in recent years.
Speaking on not buying an outfield player this summer , Wenger said there were no solutions better than what the club already possessed.
I have made more than 300 transfers and every time it’s a decision to make.
Do you buy the player because he strengthens his squad or not? The solutions we had were not convincing at all. In the end you do not buy to give one hope, you want to buy because the players who come in can help your squad to be stronger.
Buying and selling is one way to strengthen your team but that’s not the only way.
Having failed to sign anyone, the Gunners boss claimed that he was glad the transfer window had finally shut – so he and everyone else could get back to concentrating on football.
The only good news after the transfer window is that finally we can talk a bit about football.
That is what we love and we want to focus now on [how to improve], which is the quality of the work that we do and the quality of our spirit and the quality of our competitiveness which is needed in every single game.
Olivier Giroud was booed off the pitch by the supporters of the France national team, after the Gunners striker failed to convert a number of chances, but Wenger claimed that is part and parcel of the game.
He has my full support and I believe that is part of being a striker.
There is no striker in the world who has not been questioned.
When he missed a chance and is booed, that can happen.
Towards the end of the window, Wenger had been pictured a number of times boarding flights to France, which coincided with rumours that PSG had turned down three offers from Arsenal for a number of different players, but the Gunners boss said he did not want to speak about the window anymore.
There is no need to talk about that [being close to signing anyone] too much now.
We have to focus on what is in front of us. I said to you, and I didn’t lie, that we were ready to do something, but you have to be convinced that it’s not just to please people, that it [has to be] an efficient solution. And the efficient solution didn’t turn up.
As well you have to be brave enough to say no.
