By Andrew Kennedy
19 May 2011 16:37:00
EPL, Arsenal v Blackburn Rovers, Arsene Wenger
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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted that while the Gunners may not have the financial clout of their top four rivals, he believes the style of football on show at the Emirates will be enough to attract top players.
The Gunners boss has come under fire in recent weeks after a string of poor form which has brought just three wins, one of those against Leyton Orient, since their 2-1 League Cup defeat at the hands of Birmingham City in February.
Fans have long been clamouring for the Frenchman to loosen the purse strings and turn Arsenal’s financial health into investment on the field, and the 61-year-old’s comments regarding potential transfers may encourage supporters that this summer will see new faces come in.
Speaking to Arsenal’s official website, Wenger said: “If you speak about the quality of the club and the style of football we play, we have many offers on the table for players who are desperate to join us.
“But if you speak only about money, we are certainly less attractive than some other teams.”
Last Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at home to Aston Villa allowed Manchester City to leapfrog Arsenal into third place by beating Stoke on Tuesday, moving into the final automatic qualifying spot for the Champions Leaue.
The Gunners are now likely to enter the competition in a preliminary qualifying round, but Wenger insists his side will “fight until the last minute” in Sunday’s final league fixture away to Fulham as they look to reclaim third.
“It is not over and we have to fight until the last minute of the season to show that we are good enough to wear the shirt of this club,” he continued.
“What motivates me is the desire to win at what I do, to be strong and successful in what I do. That is what has motivated me my whole life. A man and a player who can take care of the future is a responsible man.
“For us to take care of the future is to absolutely give the maximum for our chance of being in the top three. There is no way, at this moment of the season, we can say ‘OK, the season is over’.”
The former Monaco boss is also considering banning his players from using Twitter following a number of Premier League stars falling foul of the FA after comments made via the website this season.
“We are thinking about how to use it the best way,” he added. “At the moment we allow it.
“It can be very positive because it can be a good communication for the players with the fans which doesn’t exist anymore.
“It can as well have negative repercussions for the clubs if it is not well used. So we are thinking about it and we will see what kind of direction we will go.”