Wenger dumps youth for experience
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Shanghai Daily, September 2, 2011
In a reversal of policy many observers have been demanding for a while, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger abandoned his infatuation with youth in favor of signing experienced players in a last-ditch bid to bolster his ailing squad on transfer deadline day.
Wenger has built his reputation on spotting potential and bringing young players through the ranks. But with the French coach under pressure at Arsenal like never before, he was forced to change his ways in a frenzied series of late trading on Wednesday.
In signing Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta (29) from Everton, Germany defender Per Mertesacker (26) from Werder Bremen and Israel captain Yossi Benayoun (31) on loan from Chelsea, Wenger has plumped for established players to help lift the club out of a rut.
Arteta and Benayoun may not be in the class of playmakers Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, who departed this summer to Barcelona and Manchester City for a combined reported fee of around 50 million pounds (US$81 million), but at least they know their way around the Premier League and won't need a bedding-in period.
The classy Arteta, who is reported to have cost Arsenal 10 million pounds (US$16.2 million), could well be a shrewd purchase if he manages to avoid the injuries that affected him last season.
Different challenge
"It is a big opportunity for me and my family and I think it is the right time for me to take it," he told Everton's in-house television channel. "It is a big challenge, a different challenge, fresh for me and I want to see myself on the biggest stage, the Champions League."
Reaching the Champions League group stage after beating Udinese in the qualifiers, is the sole chink of light in an otherwise sorry start to the season for Wenger's side.
In the league, Arsenal has picked up just one point in three games and was routed 8-2 by Manchester United on Sunday - the worst defeat in Wenger's 15-year reign.
Wenger also signed Brazil left back Andre Santos on Wednesday, adding to earlier signings of South Korea striker Park Chu-young, winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, right back Carl Jenkinson and Ivory Coast forward Gervinho.
Tottenham Hotspur resisted one last attempt from Chelsea to prize Croatia midfielder Luka Modric, spurning a massive bid of 40 million pounds. The Spurs finalized England midfielder Scott Parker's move from West Ham United, with former England winger David Bentley going in the opposite direction on a season-long loan.
Chelsea meanwhile roped in Portugal midfielder Raul Meireles from Liverpool for about 12 million pounds, the Reds themselves resigned Wales striker Craig Bellamy from Manchester City.
England winger Shaun Wright-Phillips also went from City to Premier League new boys Queens Park Rangers, becoming the 11th new arrival at QPR since they were promoted.
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