ARSENE WENGER is hopeful of bringing in one player in January, but has pleaded with Arsenal fans to be patient as the club navigate a pragmatic course through a financial crisis that he expects to effect English football seriously.
The Arsenal manager is confident that in a decade the sceptics who have questioned his focus on developing young players will realise that he and the board have acted in the club's best interests.
"I am just telling them not to be infected by all the negative publicity around the club. Because in the last three and a half years maybe the club didn't get enough credit, but in 10 years people will realise it was good work," he said.
"I believe that the way we managed the club we put it, in this crisis, in a very strong position, because we do not live on the edge.
"But we live in a naturally healthy situation - we do not depend on one person, we do not depend on the banks because we make our profit."
This was a transparent reference to his rivals in the big four, of whom he said Manchester United are the only one turning a profit.
With 15 English clubs up for sale and no one rushing to buy them, Wenger believes football is in for a reality check: "People still think we are in a bubble, but we will be hit like anybody else, I am convinced of that.
"What we need to focus on is continually developing and not live in dreamland where we are linked with players of £30 to £40 million because that is not realistic."
Last year started with great promise for Arsenal, but Wenger admitted he is not sorry to see the back of what has been his annus horribilis: "It was not a great year. We were in strong position [this time last year].
"I think quality-wise the first part of the season was not disappointing, I still believe we were unlucky because we were very close to winning the championship and we were very close and unlucky in the Champions League."
Arsenal have made no inquiries about Shay Given, Mikel Arteta or Andrei Arshavin, but the Frenchman does plan on doing some business this month: "I am hopeful of bringing one in. But I would be lying if I said I was 100 per cent certain."
One player who is going nowhere is the centre-half Kolo Toure, who had a transfer request rejected amid rumours of a rift with the former captain William Gallas.
He denied that last season's first-choice central defensive pairing disliked each other and moved to dismiss it as a factor in the Ivorian's desire to leave the Emirates: "I think they get on, personally. They get on much better than people think and if you lived with us every day you would see that. Nobody can prove fantastic friendship helps you to win football games."
Toure made 43 appearances for Arsenal last season, but has been limited to 15 thus far this term as Wenger favours the taller Johan Djourou or Mikael Silvestre to play alongside the shorter Gallas: "We needed to add some size centrally. It's not a question of Kolo Toure or William Gallas, it is that the two together are a bit short in the air."
Toure has a groin injury and will miss today's FA Cup third-round match with Plymouth Argyle, as will midfielder Denilson (back).
Goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is set to make a rare start as Wenger seems likely to include some of his less prominent players, such as Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey.
However, the striker Eduardo remains in recovery following a broken leg and Cesc Fabregas (knee), Theo Walcott (shoulder) and Tomas Rosicky (hamstring) are also sidelined.
Meanwhile, West Ham's owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson is under no pressure to sell the club before a March deadline, sources close to the Icelandic financier have insisted.
The club's holding company Hansa are due back in court in Iceland on March 6th where they will argue they should not be put into insolvency.
According to court documents in Reykjavik, Hansa will have to appear before court and satisfy a number of creditors.
Some reports say they face being declared insolvent then which would lead to a nine-point deduction for the Hammers by the Premier League.
However, the source said: "There is no urgent need to sell West Ham before March - that court appearance is just part of the normal procedure that takes place in Iceland in dealing with these situations."
Gudmundsson has had a number of approaches from potential buyers for West Ham but no firm offer has been received.
The banker has been under considerable financial pressure following the collapse of the Icelandic bank Landsbanki, in which he held a 41 per cent stake.
He initially told the Reykjavik court that he expected to get €260 million for West Ham - which he bought for €88.4 million two years ago - but it has since been admitted that asking price is unrealistic.
Everton striker Louis Saha has been ruled out for up to another five weeks following a second scan on his hamstring injury.
The Frenchman has not played for the Merseyside club since the 1-0 win at Tottenham at the end of November and his absence compounds the problems manager David Moyes has up front with Ayegbeni Yakubu, James Vaughan and Victor Anichebe all ruled out.
Moyes had hoped to have the former Manchester United striker available for the Christmas fixtures, but he has now revealed the results of a secondary scan on the 30-year-old's injury.
He told the club's official website, www.evertonfc.com: "Louis has been re-scanned and he will be out for another four to five weeks."
Guardian Service
