Wenger reveals summer heartache

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted that ‘half the dressing room wanted to leave’ during the summer.

Wenger also insisted that the players who did leave went more for money, rather than trophies.

The Frenchman had to watch three of the club’s top players in Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy walk out of the door at the Emirates to Barcelona and Manchester City, but concedes it could have been more than just the trio.

“It was a very difficult summer because half the dressing room wanted to leave,” Wenger told French radio station RTL.

Former Gunners player Emmanuel Petit last week claimed the sales of Fabregas, Nasri and Clichy were ‘killing’ the club, but Wenger believes it’s hard to keep hold of individuals when other teams can pay more in wages, and that his former players haven’t left to win silverware.

“No, it’s not that [players have to leave to win titles],” said Wenger. “The problem isn’t that. Frankly, if you compare what Manchester City have won in the past and what Arsenal have won, then you don’t go to Manchester City to win titles. Players go to Manchester City because they pay much better than Arsenal.”

“They are a force clearly, because they have exceptional financial clout, so it’s not surprising what they’ve done. Look at Paris Saint-Germain. They have more money than anyone else in France and they’re top of the league.”

“There’s always a financial logic behind who ends up being successful in any league. If Barcelona or Real Madrid paid three times less than Malaga, players would go to Malaga. That’s always the case. It’s as simple as that. So when a player has the choice between two clubs who have the same ambitions, if he can earn three times as much at one club, he’ll go there. That’s logical.”

Wenger also admitted that the uncertainty during the summer and the injury to Jack Wilshere made life very difficult for the team, but insists the club can still challenge for fourth spot in the league.

“You’re preparing for a season where you don’t know who’s going to come in, the players who are staying are asking themselves what’s going on at the club, you’ve got a pre-season tour of Asia. It was extraordinarily difficult. What saved us is that we’re a club that are extremely solid and united. Other clubs would surely have gone to pieces in those circumstances,” he said.

“What people forget is that we lost three key players because we’ve also lost Wilshere. Three who were important in our midfield. Nasri, Fabregas and Wilshere have all been lost and they were the basis of our midfield last season.”

“We’ve had to reconstruct our midfield entirely because Wilshere won’t be back until January. Still, we’ve disappointed this season so far, given what’s expected of us, but I think we’re on the up again. The problem is you can only climb the table slowly. We’re not too far away in terms of points from fourth place. We’re too far away [12 and 10 points] from the top two.”

Another worry for Wenger is the impending contract talks with captain Robin van Persie, who scored both goals in Sunday’s 2-1 win over Sunderland, but the Frenchman is adamant he is more focused on the player giving his all for the club in the meantime.

“Today I’m not asking myself whether Van Persie is going to extend his contract in 18 months’ time,” said Wenger. “For me what is important is that he plays well for us on Wednesday [against Marseille]. After that the next match.”

“That’s how I think. He’s scored 28 goals in 34 games, so they’re exceptional statistics. He’s got a contract for another 18 months and he’s a man who is attached to our club. I’m not especially thinking about losing him.”