Arsenal Transfer News: Arsene Wenger Mocks Criticism of Gunners' Spending

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger holds a longstanding reputation for being a little tight when it comes to splashing the cash, but the Frenchman dismissed that notion in the wake of the Gunners’ 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.

After a summer in which Arsenal only signed one first-team player in Petr Cech, concerns about the depth of the squad available to the Frenchman have come to fruition in recent weeks, with defensive lynchpin Francis Coquelin the latest key player to pick up an injury. But Wenger did not agree when it was put to him he doesn’t spend enough.

“No, I don't agree with you. I invite you out one night and you will see that I like to spend money,” was the Frenchman’s light-hearted retort, per the Press Association (h/t the MailOnline) “It's you, the press, who gave me that reputation, but my friends don't think that.”

Here's a listen to what the Arsenal boss had to say, per Rob Harris of the Associated Press:

The two most expensive players in the club’s history, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, did the damage for the Londoners at the Emirates Stadium against Zagreb, keeping Arsenal’s slender qualification hopes alive for the next round.

Indeed, when it comes to spending big money on attacking talent, these two stars, who have given the Gunners an exciting attacking edge, are testament to his ability to pick a player that’ll fit seamlessly into the setup.

Tim Ireland/Associated Press

As sports writer Henry Winter noted, Ozil in particular, the club’s record signing, is enjoying a marvellous spell of form at the moment:

The Gunners have been one of the top spenders in the Premier League in recent seasons too. There was a brief stint when a swathe of key players departed the club, with the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Robin van Persie, Samir Nasri and Alex Song leaving voids in the team, but in the last three campaigns, Arsenal have kept their best players and added.

Julian Finney/Getty Images

Wenger hasn’t always added to the right areas, though. Holding midfield has long been a position of concern and although Coquelin has made major strides in 2015, in Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini, cover is not to a necessary standard. 

In a position that requires players to be combative, injuries and suspensions are inevitable, making Wenger’s long-term reluctance to bolster this position of the pitch somewhat naive. John Cross of the Daily Mirror agrees:

So it’s not so much an issue of Arsenal not spending in recent seasons, with the quality of player in the squad reflective of some significant outlays, they just aren’t spending money as well as they could. The result, after a decent start to the term, is the Gunners will have to cope with a prolonged spell of matches without an irreplaceable defensive player.

In a division which requires physicality and energy in midfield, that’ll be a major concern for Arsenal fans who held genuine aspirations of winning the Premier League title this season. The January transfer window is an ideal time to amend this issue, but given previous reluctance to address the problem, it’d be a surprise if Wenger was to delve into the market for a holding player.