Although Wenger has made some big-money signings for Arsenal his
net spending record compares favourably with that of some other
leading Premiership clubs; according to Peter Hill-Wood, Arsenal
chairman, "Arsène's basically spent, since he's been with us, £4m
to £5m a year net."[15] A notable example of this ability was the
purchase of Nicolas Anelka from Paris St Germain for only £500,000
and his subsequent sale to Real Madrid just two years later for
£22.3m. The money was used to buy three players Thierry Henry,
Robert Pirès and Sylvain Wiltord, who all played a significant role
in the Double of 2001-02 and the league title win of 2003-04.