Feyenoord’s price hike angers Wenger
Wenger would not confirm yesterday whether he had made a move for Persie, even though Feyenoord revealed they had turned a bid down earlier this week and awaiting a revised offer.
The Arsenal boss seemingly fears the Dutch club are trying to hike up the 19-year-old striker’s price by revealing the Gunners’ interest so openly.
“Have we signed him? No we haven’t. Have we approached Feyenoord? I cannot tell you as we always keep our negotiations secret,” he said.
“All I can say is when a chairman comes out and says that Arsenal have made a bid, he is putting the player on the market. It is then difficult for him to keep the player,” he said.
That however, could be exactly Feyenoord’s intention, given that they risk losing a prized asset on a free transfer at the end of next season.
Wenger stopped short of being directly critical of Feyenoord, given that he may still wish to do business with them.
However, he said: “It’s getting very difficult in our business to be masters of things. Once things are public, you have even less influence on things so, of course, that’s a worry for me.
“You only provoke competition as you might have been on a case alone. You can also provoke local reaction against the deal, with possibly fans putting pressure on the chairman not to sell. Multiple things can possibly harm a deal that can sometimes be done quietly,” he said.
Asked if such a tactic would make him less likely to sign a player, Wenger said: “No, I’d just say that it makes it more difficult and it could be more expensive.
“Does it force a price-war? Not always but it can happen. I don’t know what the interest of making it public is if you want to make do a deal.”
Wenger, who may have to raise his bid to £4million to sign van Persie, refused to even discuss the striker’s talent, fully realising the likely effect of such comments.
However, he dismissed the warning of Ruud Gullit, who takes over as Feyenoord coach this summer, that van Persie could suffer a similar fate to other Arsenal recruits in not playing regularly.
“Every one has his opinion but I don’t know where he sees that,” he responded.
Despite Arsenal’s interest in van
Persie, as well as being linked with Jermain Defoe, Patrick Kluivert and Jose Reyes, Wenger insists he is still only 20% likely to make a January signing.
“We can still call back Francis Jeffers or Jermaine Pennant from their loan deals. We have checked the rules and, if needed, they can come back for the championship or the Champions League.
“Will I do it? I don’t know. We would have to have an injury crisis.”
Wenger insisted that his players will prove they can win without Thierry Henry today in their FA Cup fourth round tie against Middlesbrough.
Henry will not even be on the bench at Highbury, leaving Dennis Bergkamp as the only front-line striker available to the FA Cup holders.
In fact, the Frenchman has not been involved in training during the past week after being told to go on holiday, as well as missing all three cup clashes against Boro.
Wenger insists that he is still taking the FA Cup clash seriously, with Fredrik Ljungberg or Robert Pires expected to fill in up front.
“Some players have a natural break through injury or suspension and, at Arsenal, we’re normally very good at ensuring our winter break through suspensions.
“But Thierry’s not been suspended and has played almost every game so, physically, he needs a break.”
He added: “Ideally, I’d like him in there but we can win without Thierry. The goal-scorers always get more recognition than anyone else but our team is known to play well as a unit.
“Thierry has made more and more steps as a striker so that’s why people have said that but I don’t think it’s a problem for us.”
Wenger maintained that the “number two striking option is open”, with Ljungberg and Pires the favourites to push forward, while youngsters David Bentley and Quincy Owusu-Abeyie could be on the bench.
Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has admitted an FA misconduct charge arising out of a clash with Kevin Phillips. He faces a possible one-match ban or a fine after pleading guilty to the charge after the game against Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium on December 29.
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