Has Wenger taken the right approach?

Arsene Wenger today moved to cool Lord Harris’ remarks about Arsenal’s transfer funds and financial capabilities. Arsenal director Harris said the club has over £200m in the bank to spend on transfers and that Wenger could have nearly any player he wanted.

Those comments of course sent many gooners into euphoria, but the boss earlier refuted those claims, saying Harris “has gone a bit overboard” with his statements, saying that total is incorrect and insists he is happy with the squad he has available.

He of course stopped short of offering a more accurate number, and perhaps we will never truly know, but was Wenger right to go public with his response?

For me this smells an awful lot like a chess move from Wenger. You never want to reveal how much money is available, as it can and will be used against you in transfer negotiations.

Arsenal would be nearly defenceless against clubs charging over the odds for their players, and by Wenger cooling these reports he puts more leverage back in Arsenal’s hands.

That is not to say that he will indeed open the purse once more in this summer’s window, but he as at least now afforded Arsenal a better chance (or attempted to).

Wenger later responded coyly to a question about whether or not Arsenal are interested in Karim Benzema. He stopped short of denying it, by saying, “I don’t want to promise you too much” and that he is “open minded” to all possibilities.

The boss could be working on a cheeky transfer, Benzema or not, and by cooling Lord Harris’ remarks he wishes to remain undetected. What do you think gooners? Wishful thinking? Let me know what you think of Wenger’s remarks down below and be sure to follow my twitter handle @goonergrizz.