Exit? Niklas
Bendtner could head a summer clear-out at Arsenal
Arsene Wenger has
admitted for the first time that he needs to make changes at
Arsenal — on the day Sir Alex Ferguson insisted the greatest title
threat now comes from Chelsea.
Manchester United manager
Ferguson says Chelsea are ‘a better, stronger team’ with an
easier run-in as Wenger looks to overhaul his squad in the summer.
Sportsmail exclusively
revealed this month that Arsenal will look to raise cash for new
players by selling their dead wood.
And Wenger said: ‘The club is
in a healthy financial situation and, if needed, we can make a big
transfer. In our world everybody is bankrupt — but the guy who
doesn’t spend is an idiot.
‘Our target was to build a new
stadium without dropping from the top and we knew it would be a
difficult period for four or five years. So we had to make a
decision on how to stay at the top with less money
available.
‘We did well. But now, of
course, people become impatient. I can understand that completely
because I am impatient as well. If you look at our season you
cannot come to the conclusion we need a massive change. That would
be completely stupid.
‘If you are the
second-best selling newspaper in the country you do not shut your
office. But we live in a world where if you are the second best by
a little, everybody says you are rubbish. It is not
true.
Time's up: Denilson (front) looks to be on his way out
of Arsenal
‘Do I think it will be
a busy summer? I feel there is always a need to improve the
team.’
The pressure of what looks
like a sixth straight season without a trophy seemed to be
affecting Wenger on Wednesday as he watched his side lose a 3-1
lead against Spurs.
His touchline antics have been
described as ‘tortured’ by observers, including Sportsmail’s Graham
Poll.
But Wenger insisted: ‘I cannot
sit there and be placid like I am on dope!
‘I care about the game and I’m
motivated to win the game and agitated, yes. But it is one thing to
be agitated and in control of your decisions and be lucid, or be
completely out of control.’
Target? Everton's Leighton Baines could be on
Arsenal's radar in the summer
Adding experienced
names to his squad, such as summer targets Leighton Baines and Per
Mertesacker, should help the undoubted potential at Arsenal meld
into a more rounded unit that can win some
silverware.
United manager Ferguson agrees
Arsenal need a few more old heads among their exciting young
prospects. He added: ‘I said more than a few weeks ago that
Chelsea would be our main challengers. Now they are above Arsenal.
I recognise that both are six points behind us, both are our
challengers.
‘But I have that slight
preference for Chelsea because their fixture list is a wee bit
easier. Looking at the two of them, Chelsea are far more
experienced than Arsenal. Arsenal have the better footballers
but Chelsea are the better, stronger team.’
Denilson will be one of the
first to leave after the Gunners put a £5million price on the
midfielder.
Sportsmail understands the Brazilian
has accepted his five-year career at The Emirates is over and has
already started looking for a new club, while the likes of Emmanuel
Eboue, Gael Clichy and Nicklas Bendtner could follow.
The prospect of a summer
shake-up will appease a growing section of Arsenal fans who have
become disillusioned with Wenger.
However, the Arsenal boss
warned: ‘We decided to develop our own players because we can’t buy
Cristiano Ronaldo — he cost £85million and we can’t do
it.’
But Wenger claims he does not even know how much he will have
available to spend in the summer, despite reports new owner Stan
Kroenke will hand over a £40million war chest.
The boss added: "Is it available? Frankly I don't know.
"The only thing I can say is that the club is in a healthy
financial situation and if needed to we can make a big
transfer."