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“I had Cristiano Ronaldo at the training ground,” said Wenger at a recent press conference. “I showed him around and I gave him a shirt. It had got his name on the back”.

“But in the end it was a question of the amount of transfer fee between the two clubs. Of course, he has proved to be a bargain [at £12.25 million]. But the price that we discussed was in fact much lower, it was divided by three”. 

That was vintage Wenger, a man that repeatedly pass up good opportunities to sign top players due to his penchant crave for low prices. He did sign some players for good money though that did not go well. I remember Francis Jeffers, a player that Wenger signed for £10 million and yet failed to make any impact at the defunct Highbury.

He also signed Wiltord for £13.5 million after EURO 2000 and he did not light up the Premiership as forecasted. Jose Antonio Reyes and Alexandre Hleb were not too good for the money paid for them. Another top signing, Tomas Rosicky is almost crocked with injuries. All these points to one thing-Wenger is human and has had his fair share of mistakes over the years. But the media have painted him as a wizard in transfer dealings and wrongly so!

What’s more? He’s made it quite clear in recent times that he is not enamored with the kind of prices been paid for top players all over Europe and also champions average wages for players in his club. He did made an exception for Henry when he decided to stick with Arsenal after the defeat in UEFA Champions league in Paris! He was reportedly offered a heft £120 thousand per week. The outcome of that decision is well documented to be repeated here again.

Arsene Wenger also claimed to have had interest in these players at one time or the other; Micheal Carrick, Didier Drogba, Michael Essien and Peter Cech. The question then is this: Why did he not sign them? The answer is also obvious: miserliness!

Wenger is quick to condemn high prices for players even though he sold some players at what can be termed ‘very profitable’ business. He sold Nicholas Anelka at a great profit to Real Madrid years ago and he is still credited for always making a profit in the transfer market for Arsenal year-in, year-out.

While the positive prospect of the Club’s financial position cannot be questioned, the fact remains that trophies are the real mark of a successful side. And in this, Arsenal seems to be speedily becoming obsolete. Having passed over the opportunity to sign Cristiano Ronaldo at that auspicious time and seeing what the guy has become today, I think Wenger should rethink his tightfistedness  if he is not ready to walk Arsenal into obscurity both in the Premiership and Europe!

Rooney and Rio Ferdinand were too costly according to Wenger yet the two have gone ahead to win premiership titles and European glory for Manchester United while his own ‘modestly’ assembled side has failed to deliver anything tangible within the same period of review. Suffice to say here that the best test of competitiveness is adaptability to the changing times.

With the kind of teams being paraded all over Europe nowadays, it may take just only three years down the line before Arsenal start getting knocked out in the prelims of UEFA Champions league. Though this may sound far fetched, the truth must be told to put issues in proper perspectives! The gap between Arsenal and its competitors in the Premiership has widened over the last four years and there is no respite in sight going by Arsene stubborn conviction in the abilities of young but talented gang he’s brooding at Ashburton Grove!

Just before Carlos Tervez moved to Manchester United from West Ham, he indicated his interest in playing for Arsenal. Wenger again passed over the opportunity. Imagine Tervez as one of the players at the Emirates last season! Perhaps, they could have won the league title. After all, it was lost due to many drawn games that should have been won easily.

During that unfortunate period when Eduardo got injured (Van Pierse was already out), Adebayor had to shoulder alone the goal scoring responsibility of the team. He failed to do this consistently and even went on a very funny run of nine games without finding the back of the net in the league! Never mind the presence of Nicklas Bendtner; his touch and poor sense of judgement always let him down!

A stitch in time saves nine and if the Gunners don’t want what happened to Leeds to happen to them, the bosses at the Emirates should wake Wenger up from his slumber.

The fact that he keeps buying average French players is also a serious  cause for concern. From Diaby to Amaury Bichoff, Wenger has a burgeoning brood of French players that at best can be described as average!

Though the financial future of the Club may seem secure (if there is really anything like that in the face of global recession), lack of success on the field of play will definitely rub off on the prospect of the team going forward. But this will surely be in a negative manner!

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