Wenger addresses frustration among Arsenal supporters at lack of transfers

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has insisted that he understands the frustrations of supporters over the club’s lack of transfer activity so far this summer.

The Frenchman has so far has signed three players this summer with Granit Xhaka the first arrival from Borussia Monchengladbach, followed by the more understated signings of Rob Holding from Bolton Wanderers and Takuma Asano from Japan.

Wenger has been very stringent in the transfer market in recent years, often making just one standout signing, like Mesut Ozil in 2013, Alexis Sanchez in 2014 and then Petr Cech last summer.

But with Manchester United expected to sign Paul Pogba for £100 million, Liverpool and Chelsea already spending around £70m, the supporters are anxious to see Wenger do some business – and he knows how they feel.

“I understand the expectation level and the anxiety of our fans because they see the other clubs bringing players in,” Wenger said at a press conference.

“Although I must say, despite the money the clubs have not much has happened until now, but we know by experience that the most active period is in the last week of August and, at the moment, it’s still a poker game everywhere.

“If you look at the market in Europe there is a lot of money available but not many players have really strengthened the teams. If you look at the teams who have spent the most money in Europe they’re not necessarily the teams that won the championships.

“When you take the global investment of the clubs around us, it didn’t stop Leicester from winning the championship. We had 18 teams behind us last year and we must make sure we have 19 next season.”

Arsenal finished second in the Premier League last season but it was a false position in some ways as the Gunners barely put up a fight for the league title and were under threat of finishing below Tottenham Hotspur for most of 2016.

It wasn’t until the final few weeks of the campaign, when the title race was over after Leicester City had secured the crown, that Spurs fell apart and opened the door for Arsenal to finish second.