Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed that,
although the Gunners eventually landed key target Andrei Arshavin
during the winter transfer window, they lost one of their most
prized assets... their groundsman.
Paul Burgess, an award-winning groundsman at the Emirates
Stadium, who has also maintained the club's training pitches at
London Colney and at previous ground Highbury, has been allowed to
leave the Gunners for Real Madrid, to help improve the La Liga
side's playing surface at their Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
“That was the most amazing transfer during the window,” said
Wenger.
“What we have to do every night is lock the doors on the press
office, the accounts department, everywhere, because otherwise Real
Madrid will take everybody."
Burgess has won the Groundsman of the Year gong five times in
the Premier League, while he also acted as an advisor to UEFA for
last year's European Championships.