TURKEY: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has said there is "no chance" that he will buy Luis Suarez from Liverpool during this transfer season

Record ID: 858095

  • Title: TURKEY: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has said there is "no chance" that he will buy Luis Suarez from Liverpool during this transfer season
  • Date: 22nd August 2013
  • Summary: ISTANBUL, TURKEY (AUGUST 21, 2013) (REUTERS) ARSENAL MANAGER ARSENE WENGER ARRIVES FOR NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS AND CAMERAMEN (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARSENAL MANAGER ARSENE WENGER, ASKED IF THE POSSIBLE PURCHASE OF LUIS SUAREZ FROM LIVERPOOL IS OVER, REPLIES: "Yes" (QUESTION: No chance of it happening?) "Absolutely no chance" JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARSENAL MANAGER ARSENE WENGER SAYS OF INJURIES AND THE TRANSFER WINDOW: "We lost (Alex Oxlade-) Chamberlain and (Mikel) Arteta and (Abou) Diaby is still out, you know; three, three international midfielders. And that's why we are short. And we tried to bring one in, but we are working on that. What you have to understand: there is still a long way to go. The transfer market starts really now and a lot of activity will happen from now until the second of September. The twenty-first of August until the second of September, you have 12 days so a lot will happen; it starts now." WENGER AT NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 6th September 2013 13:00
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  • Location: Turkey
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  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: General,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVABYCCUQE45GF6ID72HKE99YLZ4
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  • Story Text: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has ended the long-running saga of whether or not the Gunners will buy Luis Suarez from Liverpool, saying the hunt is over and there is "no chance" of a signing during this transfer window.
    Speaking at a news conference in Istanbul after Arsenal beat Fenerbahce 3-0 in their Champions League playoff first leg, Wenger was asked if the chase was over and he simply replied: "Yes".
    When prompted to say if there was any chance of Suarez being transferred, the Frenchman replied: "Absolutely no chance."
    There has been fan and media criticism of Wenger's lack of activity in the transfer market, especially after Arsenal opened their Premier League campaign with a 3-1 home defeat by Aston Villa on Saturday.
    The 63-year-old's current deal with Arsenal runs out after this season.
    British media previously reported that Arsenal was interested in Argentina international Gonzalo Higuain, who ended up at Napoli, as well as Manchester United's Wayne Rooney, before the Gunners failed with a bid to sign Suarez from Liverpool.
    The Merseyside club rebuffed Wenger's efforts to prise the Uruguay striker away and accused Arsenal of lacking class when they made a bid of 40 million and one pounds ($62.71 million) which was expected to trigger a release clause.
    The north Londoners, who finished fourth last season, received another rebuke from Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew on Monday for what he called lacking respect after making an offer for French midfielder Yohan Cabaye.
    However, in Istanbul on Wednesday Wenger did not rule out buying at least one player before the transfer window closes on September 2.
    "We lost (Alex Oxlade-) Chamberlain and (Mikel) Arteta and (Abou) Diaby is still out, you know; three, three international midfielders. And that's why we are short. And we tried to bring one in, but we are working on that. What you have to understand: there is still a long way to go. The transfer market starts really now and a lot of activity will happen from now until the second of September. The twenty-first of August until the second of September, you have 12 days so a lot will happen; it starts now," said the Arsenal boss.
    ($1 = 0.6378 British pounds)
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