With the news that Manchester United are lighting up the transfer window with just over a week to go, Arsenal Manager Arsene Wenger has had his say on the ongoing transfer. The latest news out of the Premier League is that Juan Mata’s £40 million move from Chelsea to Manchester United looks very likely to go ahead with the Spaniard set to have his medical tonight.

However whilst Arsenal seemingly sit back and do nothing, Wenger made it very clear that he cannot quite believe the news regarding the transfer. Wenger told the media in his press conference prior to tomorrow’s FA Cup game against Coventry City:

He said, “I’m surprised Mata is allowed to go because he is a great player. And Chelsea are strengthening a direct opponent. It opens up transfer market, Chelsea don’t play United again. They could have sold Mata two weeks ago.”

Wenger seems a little frustrated at the news and so be it because I’m sure he still regrets the way Chelsea initially signed the Spaniard from right under our noses in the first place just over three years ago. He was meant to be signing for Arsenal with the fee all in place and agreed with then current club Valencia, but Chelsea swooped in with a last minute offer to take the playmaker to Stamford Bridge rather than the Emirates.

The move marks a big money transfer similar to the fiasco that happened on deadline day of the last window. Mesut Ozil made a deadline day move of his own from Real Madrid to Arsenal in a deal worth over £40 million. Many believe that Mata will rival our German, however I think there is little to worry about because at the end of the day despite Mata being a top player, I think even from an unbiased point of view a fan would still probably want the assist king Mesut Ozil on their team than benchwarmer Juan Mata.

Have Arsenal missed the boat on Mata if Mourinho was willing to sell, or is it like Wenger said a more tactical move from the Blues having seen United as no threat to the title this season, as well as the fact Mata can help take points off other top teams with United. Would you have liked Mata at Arsenal considering there is no doubt Wenger held an interest in him? There were rumours over the course of the season that Wenger was considering making a move for the Spain international, however for the price that he was, as well as the fact we already have enough midfielders, I think Wenger should put this one to bed and focus on beating Mata’s side when he comes to face the Arsenal!

After all, he sold RvP, Nasri, Clichy, Cole and more to Premier League rivals himself didn’t he?

8 thoughts on “How can Arsenal boss talk about selling to a rival?

  1. You are an idiot. Wenger sold those players to rivals because he was forced to. Their contracts expired the following year and they would have left the team for free. Chelsea had no such problems. Mata had another 3 years on his contract . He was sold because Mou figured that Chelsea will not play Man U again this season while Arsenal, Man City and Liverpool still have to do so. He is hoping Mata will help Man U take points off his rivals. This is what Wenger is objecting to.

    1. did any body stop wenger from signing a striker for his team? after all he let his players run down their contract so as to sell them,that was his tricks crying wolf now

    2. Mourinho is just playing his usual tactics but this won’t work. Wenger should look at his squad and believe in them as he has done all this long. Mourinho has since been exposed that he is ordinary. He was a failure at real Manrid and he won’t surpass Barnitez’s achievement, or even RDM’s.

  2. “Benchwarmer Juan Mata”
    The only reason he has been in the bench is because of Mourinho’s arrogance not his playing ability.
    Definitely wouldn’t call him a bench warmer.

    Mata will be a dangerous player in any team and with another addition or 2 could see UTD scrape a CL 4th spot.

  3. Eh? Man Utd are very far from being a rival. Those days are gone forever now Sir Alex Ferguson has left and now the team has aging players and no funds in the forseeable future to replace them more than one at a time per transfer window. Get real.

    What difference would any player make to that team with that manager and that board of directors? Their equivalent of David Dein has left too, Van Persie is doing ilhis perpetual sicknote thing until the miraculous recovery before the world cup and Rooney knows he has to leave now if he is ever going to.

    The question you should ask is why Mata wants to go to United? Ask yourself, why would ANY top player want to go to United? What is the attraction, the incentive? o_O

    Same goes for Liverpool??? What is the attraction?

    Arsenal, debt free, good young team, good manager, good stadium, no wage cap, top training facilities in Europe, a minimum of 70 million for transfers each Summer and players love it at Arsenal.

  4. RVP nasir etc were all sold during summer transfer window and not the January transfer window. This is clearly chelsea Mourinho’s tactics, as chelsea is clearly not playing Man United again for this season atleast, and has nothing to lose by selling Mata.

  5. Yes Wenger sold to the rivals and if you remember, all those players played against Arsenal and some even scored against Arsenal. Demba Ba has been sitting on the bench all season but Mourinho still refuses to loan him to Arsenal. To be honest I think its a great strategy by Mourinho, even if it pisses me off. We don’t need Mourinho’s help, we’ll beat Man U with or without Mata.

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