The french tactician stated without mincing words that the much sought-after attacking midfielder will not be joining Arsenal this summer: "We will not do [a deal for] Juan Mata. I don't have to give a reason," said Wenger.
He promised to strengthen the defensive department of his team further, if the conditions needed to make another signing are conducive. The manager did not give a hoot about the urgency of replacing error-prone Squillaci at the heart of the Arsenal defence, and still maintains his earlier stance that the club will only sign players based on relevance, availability and most importantly the lad's price tag. What is surprising is the confidence and relative ease at which the decisions were reached not minding the facts on ground, perhaps he arrived at the conclusion after due consideration with his inner self.
The club's vibrant supporters have had to put up with some terrible defensive displays over the last five seasons, while the team's hierarchy has come under scrutiny for the supposed role its played in withholding resources needed for the growth of the club. In respect to our growing defensive stress at Arsenal, a lot of defensive minded players have being linked with a move to the Emirates, but as expected the boss will always have the final say on transfer issues: "We have specialised people who work everywhere. Every club looks for centre-backs in the whole world," he said.
"People with unlimited resources look for a centre-back. We are not in a supermarket where you go to a shelf and you ask 'where are the centre-backs or the strikers?'
"We are today in an international market where all over the world people look for the same players.
"Massive clubs have scouts all over the world and if they don't find anyone, in the end they come to us. You don't need to be a genius to understand that.
"We will have a new centre-back by the end of the transfer window because Thomas Vermaelen only played five games last year. To buy just for the sake of buying - you won't find me there.
"If I'm convinced the player has the quality, I will always do it if he's better than the players we have."
