Arsene Wenger on Fabregas’ departure and using the money for new signings

Written by Jeffrey on August 16, 2011 – 12:00

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was full of praise for former captain Cesc Fabregas who left the Gunners to join Spanish giants Barcelona.

The Frenchman admitted that the Club lost a world class player and that it’s now important to show that even without the midfielder the Gunners are strong and united enough to reach their objectives. The Arsenal boss also admitted that the player desperately wanted to go back to his home city, reason why he was sold but not before fighting to keep him at the Club.

Asked if the money secured from the deal will be used to sign top players, the manager explained that his team will make sure to spend the money wisely as they have been doing in these last few seasons.

According to reports, the 24-year old midfielder signed a five-year contract with Barcelona in a deal worth a potential £35m to Arsenal with the player saying on his Twitter account that he will always be grateful to the Arsenal fans for showing “unconditional support”.

On Fabregas, Wenger said:

[Fabregas?] We lost a world class player, we are sad about it, we did fight to keep him but in the end we have as well to respect the desire of the player.

This Club is 125 years old this season, and many big players left the Club and the Club went on and that’s what we want to show, that we have the strengths and unity to fight as we ever did at this club.

[Why I let him go?] Cesc wanted to go back to his home city. If you understand one thing, it is Cesc did not go for financial reasons, or that he did not love this Club – Cesc went because he was desperate to play for his hometown where he has been educated and it’s very difficult to resist to that.

[Using the money generated from the Fabregas departure on new signings?] I have been in football for a long, long time and I don’t think just spending money is a target that is defendable. To spend the money on a top player is defendable. But just to spend the money is like you are worried.

Our fans can be proud of the way we run this club, of the quality of player we have and of the financial situation that is existing at the Club. Rather than convicting this club, they have more reason to be proud of the whole situation here.

We have built a team and a stadium in such a short space of time, and have a strong financial situation – and we always survived at the top level. There are more reasons to be positive than the negatives ones being sold by everybody.

Share this Gunning Hawk article:

Reply to this comment »

RedandDread says:

August 16, 2011 at 12:42

Monster size defenders eh? I agree we could do with a few taller players but in case you don’t know, we need defenders who whilst they may be taller than what we got , are mobile, agile good on the ball and can play a high defensive line.

Reply to this comment »
- GunnerEye says:
  
  August 16, 2011 at 12:46
  
  The problem for now is “creative midfield”
  
  Reply to this comment »

GunnerEye says:

August 16, 2011 at 12:40

I have strong feeling that we are rule out from top4 ,City ,MU ,Chelsea ,Liverpool , i watch their game .They really good but arsenal can chase liverpool and chelsea behind with no mistake .City their midfield maker are creative ,and many world class striker .I worry about arsenal current squad .In common sense ,we cant Challenge the tittle .Unless Wenger sign more player ..

Reply to this comment »

Mike says:

August 16, 2011 at 12:45

this would be nice… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1clbqe96_iA

imagine

————–wos—–
-sagna-verm-kos-traore-
———-song——-
—walcott–wilsh–gerv
————Gorcuff—–
———RVP—————

1.vito
2.Djourou
3.Ramsey
4.Arshavin
5.Chamak
6.Frimpong

00 Rate This

Reply to this comment »

Hunter says:

August 16, 2011 at 18:43

Did you happen to notice there are also clips of Chamakh shooting in that video?! What exactly does Arsene do to players that stops them from shooting when they come to Arsenal?

Reply to this comment »

katchy, Abuja. says:

August 16, 2011 at 12:50

I hope and pray for arsenal. Cesc was a massive player for us. so was Henri and Viera. But we need to sign. a huge domineerin defender, creative middle fielder and a striker. without dis we can not win anytin. I love Rosicky and Ramsey but they jus havnt played enof football to earn my vote.

Reply to this comment »

Wonde says:

August 16, 2011 at 12:56

Anyway we will take the position of Liverpool. And it will take 3-4 more years to comeback.
Lair manager. Is he from another planet? I am very eager to hear his comment after Liverpool, Udenise, MU game.Then he will b sacked. In Aresen we Fade. Booooooooooooz come on gooners it is the real time

Reply to this comment »

ken says:

August 16, 2011 at 13:10

We are now not only weak in defence but also in attack and midfield the only manager in history who has managed to weaken all our areas

If Verminator of Kozzer get injured then we have either the hap hazard Djurou or the the god forbid squalachi.

LB.Clichy replaced the injury prone Gibbs or not up to it Triore

RB Eboue off Sagna back up unproven kid jenkinson

Cesc allowed to go but no replacement made first or no plan b no signing it sight Rosicky is past it Ramsey not quite good enough if Nasri goes as likely we are really in trouble

Up front out goes the promising JET and possible Bentner which leaves us with RVP (Surly he will get injured and miss a couple of months) back up the unimpressive Chamak and Vela

WEAKEST ARSENAL SQUAD FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS

Reply to this comment »

Charlie says:

August 16, 2011 at 13:31

Attack the manager but can’t find another Arsenal manager to compare him to so you compare him to himself. That’s because he’s the best we’ve had. Other than Cesc and Nasri he is trying to sell players that were a liability in Clichy, Bendtner, Denilson, JET and Eboue. I don’t have a problem with any of them being sold, they weren’t good enough for Arsenal. You can be sure that there will be more signings. Anyone can jump in after a big sale and make such comments but there will be players signed in the next 2 weeks.

Reply to this comment »
- Samuel says:
  
  August 16, 2011 at 14:10
  
  Denilson a liability but Arshavin and Sagna not,Bendtner a liability but Walcott not Eb
  oue a liability but Gibbs not ,typical bs from fickle Arsenal fans ,the only decent comment you made is that of finding a replacement for Arsenal,s best manager,ever.T
  he sale of Cesc was a masterstroke by Arsene who got Cesc for next to nothing from
  Barcelona but what were the Catalan club,s s scouts and experts doing while Cesc
  was in their under 9,10,11 right up to under 16 youth teams playing week in and out ,if
  they had been paying attention like Arsenal,s scouts had been then Barcelona would
  n,t have had to fork out 35 million pounds/Euros for him nearly eight years later ,plus
  Cesc himself is not guaranteed a place in the starting line-up every game as there are
  other players ahead of him in the pecking order at the Nou Camp and Cesc will have to fork out 877 thousand pound a year over five years if Barcelona fulfill their side of the deal that took Cesc there,sounds like a good deal to me ?
  
  Reply to this comment »
  - Shark of the Gunnerz says:
    
    August 16, 2011 at 15:19
    
    Well…. if those comments were Arsenal bias… then yours are anti-Arsenal bias…. for example…. Arshavin was one major signing Arsene made in the past few years, so calling him a liability doesn’t add up… and Bacary Sagna is doubtless among the top 5 best RB in the premier league…….
    
    What I do agree is that both Cesc and Barca have lost out here…. Arsenal, if we play it right, could have a major win-win situation… you could easily fit Christopher Samba and (someone like) Marek Hamsik, a lesser known but classy attacking player in those 35mil…. Yoann Gourcuff? Thomas Muller (no way)? Danny (Zenit St. Petersburgh)? The Japanese guy, Honda? There are a lot of options to consider, and buy quickly…
    
    Reply to this comment »
- uz says:
  
  August 16, 2011 at 20:50
  
  wait until he signs(if he ever will)then you can run your mouth.Seems you come from the same planet as wenger.
  
  Reply to this comment »
Samuel says:

August 16, 2011 at 14:18

So what,s the problem with Armand Traore ,who is miles ahead of rubbish Gibbs in defen
ce and why is Djourou haphazard,in your esteemed opnion ,Chamakh holds the ball up pretty well bringing other players into the opposition box,Rosicky for example ,who can
score now that he has more licence to get forward and not have to rely on Cesc on Samir
and there,s always Alex Song ,in defensive midfield ,who can defend or attack,equally so
you have no clue about the game ?

Reply to this comment »

EV says:

August 16, 2011 at 15:04

“Our fans can be proud of the way we run this club, of the quality of player we have and of the financial situation that is existing at the Club. Rather than convicting this club, they have more reason to be proud of the whole situation here.”

Come on Wenger! I’m a Arsenal SUPPORTER! not a shareholder, I don’t feel proud about our financial health, I feel proud about our game style, talented and unique players, and finaly about success. Until now I can cope with 7,8, or 10 years without a silverrware, just because we have the best creative midfielder in the world, and we brags about it. suddently, the best two players left the team and there’s nobody with the quality to replace them. You can see in at the Newcastle game that our passing game was no effective, gervinho is like walcott 5 years ago that only knows to run but don´t know how to end the gameplays… witch Fab and Nasri sale means, is that we are in a transition AGAIN!, and in two or tree years when ramsey and wilshere has become world class players, then we sell again and start over.
Hurts to have an Arsenal heart these days.

Reply to this comment »

Shark of the Gunnerz says:

August 16, 2011 at 15:25

Correct!!! Arsene Wenger should seriously read this!!! Let’s hope that Nasri will not leave, not atleast until someone who can competently replace him is in the club. But after Cesc,…. i don’t know… Udinese seems a lil’ bit tougher to beat..!

Reply to this comment »

TheIceManCometh says:

August 16, 2011 at 16:06

Supposedly Jadson (Shaktar) will be announced sometime this week, along with Mata and possibly a center back (will believe it when I see it). Arsene can’t be deluded enough to believe that the squad has enough depth to compete for the entire season. If injuries weren’t a concern, then the current lineup would be fine (with Wilshere back, of course) against 95% of the teams in Europe (barring Barcelona, Real, and Man City). Gibbs and Traore look better than Clichy did all of last year (Gibbs even clears it instead of dallying on the ball). Koscielny is positionally astute, very good at intercepting passes. Still in need of someone to cover for him and Vermaelen, in place of Squillaci.

Reply to this comment »

Emeka says:

August 17, 2011 at 12:50

A new cb as cover, a marshaling creative mf, n a provev goalscorer wit an intimidating presence n we r set to rule d world if d pace we currently have is properly harnessed.

Reply to this comment »