Arsene Wenger has hit back at
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge's claims that the youngsters he brings to
Arsenal amounts to "child
trafficking".
Rummenigge claimed Arsenal
sign "hosts" of players from France among other places in order to
find the stars of the future.
Although Rummenigge's comments were made earlier this year,
Wenger is still surprised by the nature and the strength of his
argument.
"I am surprised about such an aggressive statement that has
nothing to do with reality," the French tactician told Spiegel
Magazine.
"We are only signing two, three players and if we are signing
teenagers then we are handing them a real opportunity. You cannot
say that about Bayern. I am well dismayed about such nonsense.
"What is going to happen if we are not allowed to sign Under-18
players any longer? There'll be an agent, with some from Africa or
South America under contract, buying a small club in which these
youngsters are going to play then. He then sells them as soon as
they turn 18 years of age. The transfer money is going to end up in
the agent's pocket from the club.
"The transfer money gained from the transfer is going to end up
right in the pocket of that agent via the small club."