Arsenal’s Arsène Wenger places values and identity above spending money

Arsène Wenger has made an impassioned defence of traditional values in football after a summer of unprecedented spending in the Premier League.

Looking towards Arsenal’s challenging opening fixture against Liverpool on Sunday Wenger said the sport “has to be a bit bigger” than a cycle of spending and sacking, before going on to predict the imminent arrival of the first £200m player.

“I believe that despite all the money a club is about identity. Identity is about values and values have been carried through the generations through somebody. Is it the chairman, is it the manager, is it some players who stay for a long period at the club? I hope it will always be the case. It’s not only about spending money or sacking the manager.

“Football has to be a bit bigger than that. That’s why I believe the big clubs worry about values and identity. We have to be conscious that that is important as well.”

This week Paul Pogba joined Manchester United and John Stones Manchester City for a combined £136.5m.

“It won’t be long before there is a £200m player,”he said. “At some stage [the rise in transfer fees] has to stop but as long as football continues to develop and becomes more popular you would say more money will come in. It is interesting to see that in every single activity today you either have a local business and you struggle to survive or you have a world business and the money comes in. Be it Google, Facebook or football or any other sport. If football continues to be popular it might become much higher in the future.”

Arsenal have signed three players so far this summer for a total of £36m and Wenger insisted there were still bargains to be found. “You can still make fantastic buys at normal, reasonable prices”, he said. “We have seen that with N’Golo Kanté last season. He was such a vital aspect of Leicester’s chances in the Premier League.

“Price normally depends on the talent of the player, the expected strengthening they bring to your squad, and age and resale value,” Wenger said. “But we are also in a competition as well, so if someone offers £40m for a player, you have to pay £45m.”

Wenger believes this season’s will be the most open title race in years. “Never before have there been eight or nine clubs who can win it,” he said. “That can make it easier as well because everybody can drop points. There won’t be one team who just walks away and that nobody can catch. The hope will be alive in the Premier League for everybody for longer than ever and so on that front, if you are consistent, it can also be easier.”

When asked if he thought the title would be easier for him to win this year, Wenger said: “It’s never been easy for me.”

Arsenal are struggling to recruit a replacement for their injured defensive duo of Per Mertesacker and Gabriel. Wenger said he expects Gabriel to be out of action for six to eight weeks.

He also said he had no information on Arsenal’s reported pursuit of the Germany international defender Shkodran Mustafi of Valencia.

Instead, Wenger preferred to talk up the qualities of the players already in his squad. “I have a few options as you’ve seen in pre-season,” he said. “The players available at the moment are quite young but they’re keen to do it.”

Rob Holding, the 20-year-old defender acquired for £2m from Bolton this summer, may be in line for a start against Jürgen Klopp’s side. Wenger said: “He has played in the Championship, which is good experience. Now he has to deal with one level higher.”