Gunners boss has been at the club for nearly 20 years and admits this could be his final season but rules out retirement.
Arsene Wenger has been Arsenal boss after arriving at the Premier League in 1996, two years later the club completed a league and FA Cup double. The club won another league and cup double in 2002 and retained the FA Cup a year later.
In 2004, Wenger managed Arsenal to an undefeated league season, a feat last accomplished by Preston North End, 115 years previously. Arsenal later eclipsed Nottingham Forest’s record of 42 league matches unbeaten and went seven more matches before losing in October 2004.
The club made their first appearance in a Champions League final in 2006, though they lost to Barcelona. After a period of nine years without a trophy, which coincided with the club relocating to the Emirates Stadium, Wenger guided Arsenal to further FA Cup success in 2014 and 2015.
He has admitted to “regret and guilt” at Arsenal not beating Leicester to last season’s Premier League title.
Wenger expects this season to be the most competitive ever, with leading clubs assembling what he termed a “world championship of managers”.
Speaking at the Premier League launch, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says the arrival of high-profile players and managers will make for an exciting season.
Starting with the Transfer market, Wenger talked about his future and the future of Arsenal. According to BBC, he said:
The value of a player is dependent on his talent, the expected strengthening of the team, his age and of course his resale value,
If you go to Spain and you’re an English club – straight away the inflation comes in. So I would say, in France the clubs, amongst themselves, are very reasonable. If an English club comes in, the price goes straight away up because they know there is money in England.
He talked about Jack Wilshere and his fitness concerns saying:
He has a very big year ahead – I must say his preparation was encouraging,
He had a little setback recently but its looks very minor and of course for us to have a great season it is important to have a great Jack Wilshere.
Then he talked about the teams who ould win BPL this year:
Today, you have to take into account seven or eight teams who can win it. There’s always a surprising team and then you have the six or seven big clubs who have the ambition to win it.
When asked about the transfers and people coming and going out of the club, he said,
We are in the transfer market, but we are focused on concentrating on our players – we have to get them ready for the season,
On the other hand, with what happened with us, of course we are looking outside to strengthen our squad.
Even Jack Wilshere was adamant about what he thinks about Arsene Wenger and his transfer policies. According to Sky Sports, he said:
We picked up a few injuries in defence so we probably need to get a defender in,
But even then we brought in Rob Holding, who has done great in pre-season, and we have got another young centre back in Calum Chambers and going forward we are one of the best teams in the league.
Wilshere says his manager is more motivated than ever to win trophies at the club ahead of the new season and achieve something special.
I have not seen anything different in him,
I see the same hunger, if not even more hungry. For me, he has been great over the years and he continues to be.
He is a top manager and I know the Premier League has added some of the best managers in the world but, for me, the boss is up there and I think he shows that with his hunger every year.
He just keeps going each year. I think he really feels like he can win and do something special with this team so he just keeps going.
I think people forget in the past few seasons we have bought Mesut Ozil for big money and Alexis Sanchez, who are top players and have got used to the Premier League.
Going forward we are strong enough. If the boss feels we need to add another striker then I’m sure that he will pick the right one as he has in the past.
Wenger also revealed that leaving Arsenal would not mean leaving the game entirely. Although, he did not specify if he was looking to move upstairs at the Emirates or take another job in management. He added:
What I will do is continue to work as long as I have the physical potential to work — no matter in what kind of position.
But, I will always work.
With the Premier League launch and the whole team behind him, all Wenger needs to do is sign a defender and maybe a striker. This could be the year as we look strong and sharp. But don’t let it fool you. We have always started strongly in the Pre-season. Let’s see where we end after the season is over.
