Wenger reflects on Arsenal’s January transfer dealings

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. Picture: Adam Davy/EMPICS

Wednesday, February 27, 2013
8:29 PM

Arsene Wenger has insisted he was happy with Arsenal’s dealings in the January transfer window and highlighted the importance of tying current players to new contracts.

The Gunners’ only purchase last month was Spanish full-back Nacho Monreal from Malaga, leaving many of the club’s supporters disappointed that other areas of the squad were not strengthened.

But Arsenal also tied Theo Walcott to a new deal in January after months of speculation, having previously handed new contracts to Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Kieran Gibbs, Aaron Ramsey and Carl Jenkinson.

Wenger admits the January window was a testing period for the club but insists the club “dealt with the situation in a satisfactory way”.

He told the March edition of Arsenal’s official magazine: “We had a difficult first six months of the season, because we were trying to extend the contracts of all the British players.

“That demanded a lot of work and then we had to deal with the [Theo] Walcott situation as well during January.

“So personally I am relieved because we dealt with the situation and we extended all of our players [contracts], kept Walcott and bought Monreal.

“Of course you can always do better but overall I feel the club has dealt with the situation we faced in a satisfactory way.”