Wenger ready to spend

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger expects a lot of transfer activity between now and 2 September despite admitting the club have “no chance” to sign Luis Suarez from Liverpool this summer, ESPN FC understands.

Wenger was in the mood to speak to reporters following the Gunners’ impressive 3-0 UEFA Champions League play-off win against Fenerbahce in Turkey on Wednesday.

The Arsenal boss was delighted with his team’s performance at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium in Istanbul, and rightfully so. After all, a 3-0 win in Turkey is a magnificent result.

“This team has shown a lot of mental strength and we did not come into this game shaking,” said Wenger.

“I believe we played in a very, very heated atmosphere against a good team, but we had a proactive attitude from the first minute on, and that was certainly was very important tonight.”

Now then, when asked if a deal for Suarez was unlikely, Wenger replied: “Yes. Absolutely no chance of that.”

Nonetheless, Suarez is still 7/1 to sign for Arsenal before 3 September.

Although Arsenal have now failed to sign their top two transfer targets of the summer, Gonzalo Higuaín and Luis Suarez, Wenger remains confident he can make a few moves before the end of the transfer window.

“The transfer market starts for me now and a lot of activity will happen between now and September 2,” added Wenger.

“From August 21 until September 2 you have 12 days, so a lot will happen. It starts now and it is like a poker game. People hold their cards as long as possible and see what is happening out there. In the end, they go for decisions.

“First everybody goes on holiday and nobody wants to do anything, then in many clubs there are manager changes. They need to know the squad before they make a decision. It is always like that.”

Recent reports have linked Arsenal with a sensational double swoop for Real Madrid duo Angel Di Maria and Karim Benzema, with Los Blancos preparing to liquidate their assets in order to fund the signing of Tottenham Hotspur ace Gareth Bale.

The Gunners are also reportedly interested in Sevilla midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia, who joined Sevilla from RC Lens for a fee believed to be in the region of  €3 million last summer.

According to recent reports, Monaco have offered Sevilla £13 million for the highly-rated France international, but the Sevillistas have made it clear that they are only willing to do business if the player’s £17 million release is met.

Is it time for Wenger to submit a cheeky, and perhaps delusional, £13,000,001 bid for Kondogbia?