ARSENE WENGERS SAYS a lack of “financial power” prevented Arsenal from bolstering their defensive ranks in the January transfer window.
The Gunners were able to bring added firepower in the final third onto their books, with a club-record £55 million fee acquiring Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan also arrived from Manchester United in a swap deal which took Alexis Sanchez in the opposite direction.
Promising Greek defender Konstantinos Mavropanos was the only addition at the back, though, and Wenger admits he is unable to compete with the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool – who spent £57m and £75m on Aymeric Laporte and Virgil van Dijk respectively – for the best in the business.
The Frenchman told reporters after facing criticism for failing to enhance a key area of his squad: “Look, defensive strengthening is a huge problem for everybody.
“Everybody looks for defenders. You could see again, you look at City, they buy again a defender. How much money did they spend on defenders in the last three years?
“We don’t have the financial power of Manchester City. And the fact that they conceded half the goals we conceded is as well down to the fact that offensively they are very powerful. And they have a lot of possession in the opponent’s half that we have not.”
Arsenal were heavily linked with West Brom’s Jonny Evans as the window came to a close.
The former Manchester United centre-half would have added vast Premier League experience to their squad, but a late offer was knocked back by the Baggies.
Alan Pardew admitted after the deadline passed that an offer from Arsenal had got “nowhere near” securing the Northern Ireland international, with reports suggesting that the Gunners only put £12m on the table.
With no deal done, Wenger will have to dip back into the market over the summer if he is to find the necessary additions to a defensive unit which could lose Per Mertesacker at the end of his contract.
Great performance alright. What a turn around from keats. Great to see him playing with a smile again. Onwards and upwards for munster.
Apparently the birth of his kid changed how he views rugby. He’s in a completely different head space compared to two years ago and it shows on the pitch. Delighted for the guy.
@borgig: could be not being booed by his own fans too
Great to see him come on so strong. Our great leader Joe always kept faith in him when others didn’t. He’s going to get a fair bit of 6 nations rugby and maybe a World Cup too.
In fairness to Keatley, he showed some cojones to come back from the early set backs, even though he’s right about the pass from Murray! Kick to touch seemed to bring the confidence back after that. Don’t think he was as good as everyone seems to think he was but the first choice at 10 in Munster for sure!
Good to see him with a smile on his face on the pitch too!
Good man Keatley you Legend!!!
I’m delighted for Keatley. I think he deserves the praise for his recent good form & hope he keeps it up. If he can keep improving maybe the naysayers will fall away. Hopefully he has another gear. Good luck to him.