Arsène Wenger leaned back in his chair and rolled his eyes. “I do not want to go much into that story. It’s part of ... maybe in my next book?” And he smiled.
The Arsenal manager had just been asked about his failed attempt to sign Jamie Vardy from Leicester City in June when the England striker decided he would stay with the Premier League champions rather than move to the capital.
Two months on, and with dissatisfaction at the Emirates already building after the opening-day defeat by Liverpool, Wenger’s failure to add to his squad since then has become a familiar source of frustration for most Arsenal supporters.
Having identified Vardy as the man to spearhead their title challenge in what could end up being the Frenchman’s final season in north London, surely he had been left frustrated when, more than three weeks after triggering the £20m release clause of a 29-year-old who started his career at non-league side Stocksbridge Park Steels, his advances were rejected? “No,” came the reply. “I have not got much more to say about that. I have to respect his decision.”
In fairness there was not much more that he could say. But ever since the infamous £40m plus £1 bid for Luis Suárez was rejected out of hand by Liverpool in July 2013 it has been clear Arsenal have been in the market for a goal poacher who might just make all the difference.
Rumoured interest in Karim Benzema, Álvaro Morata and Alexandre Lacazette over the past couple of transfer windows has so far come to nothing, with Lyon’s price tag for the last – a striker who was not selected for France’s Euro 2016 squad – thought to be approaching £50m. Wenger said he has no issue paying “over the odds” for a player as long as he is good enough to strengthen the squad. But after another season where their title challenge disintegrated when it mattered most Arsenal fans must be wishing their pragmatic manager would throw caution to the wind just this once.
“I listen to every criticism that I get. But I have to analyse if it is emotional and not completely goodwill behind the advice,” said Wenger. “You have to realise what is right and what is wrong. It is part of my job. But at the end of the day I have to make a decision that is right for the club.”
Since starting his managerial career with AS Nancy in 1984 Wenger estimated he has made around 400 signings and admitted that not all had worked out well. Francis Jeffers anyone?
While a new striker appears to be on the back burner for now the 66-year-old was insistent a defender is his priority after long-term injuries to Gabriel and Per Mertesacker.
With no progress on a potential move for Valencia’s Shkodran Mustafi, Laurent Koscielny could even be risked for the trip to face Vardy and Leicester on Saturday less than six weeks after playing for France in the Euro 2016 final. Calum Chambers and Rob Holding – combined age 41 – lined up at centre-half against Liverpool and Wenger admitted his attempts to shore up his defence have so far come to nothing.
“If Mertesacker and Gabriel had not been injured in pre-season, we would have been less under pressure to sign a defender but once you are under pressure everybody knows you are, so it makes you weaker,” he said.
“We have been in the market a long time but, if you look around in Europe, all my friends I call are all looking for centre-backs but they cannot find them.
“That is why we also buy young centre-backs to develop, because when you have one or two of the quality to make it to the top it is fantastic because it is a position that is difficult to find, especially at the big clubs.”
Wenger added: “We are working very hard. You are absolutely convinced that I don’t want to spend the money but I would like to reassure you that we are ready to spend the money we have. As always, not the money we haven’t got [because] it is not my money.
“Buying calms the fans down – it is important to spend but even more important to spend it the right way.”
Whether that translates into a serious bid for a striker as well remains to be seen. Had Danny Welbeck, who scored the stoppage-time winner against Leicester at the Emirates the last time the two teams met in February, not sustained the serious knee injury that ruled him out for the rest of the year, then perhaps there would be no need.
The 25-year-old, signed from Manchester United two summers ago, is making good progress after checks showed he will not require more surgery and could be back just after Christmas.
“That was the good news of last week, the only good news,” said Wenger.