Arsene Wenger insisted on Tuesday there was no chance he would jeopardise Arsenal's financial stability with lavish spending on new players during the rest of the January transfer window.
Monday saw Alexis Sanchez leave the Emirates for Old Trafford in a high-profile swap deal, with Manchester United's Henrikh Mkhitaryan coming the other way.
Wenger, tight-lipped about Arsenal's prospects of signing Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang during the January transfer window, said Arsenal still faced monetary constraints as a result of moving to the Emirates Stadium back in 2006.
"You have not to forget that we have as well financial restrictions from the banks because we have built the stadium," Wenger said when told Arsenal had spent less on players than other clubs in a Deloitte top 10.
"We work very hard to become richer and we achieve it," the Frenchman, in charge of Arsenal since 1996, added. "If you cannot afford, you have to say 'no, sorry, can't do that'.
"After that, we have to spend the money in the most intelligent way we can on the transfer market that has become a bit out of control."
Veteran manager Wenger has long been a believer in clubs not spending "beyond their natural resources" and last week angered Arsenal fans by saying there was no way the London side could match the reported £500,000 (Dh2.5 million) weekly wages on offer to Sanchez at United.
That is despite a report published by British-based consultancy firm Deloitte on Tuesday that shows Arsenal have leapfrogged Paris Saint-Germain into sixth in the global money league of the world's highest revenue generating football clubs, following an annual increase of £70m. United head the list.
Arsenal face London rivals Chelsea, not averse to high spending under Russian owner Roman Abramovich, in the second leg of a currently English League Cup semi-final on Wednesday.
The often lowly-regarded tournament now represents Arsenal's best chance of silverware this season after they failed to qualify for the Uefa Champions League, lie sixth in the Premier League and were knocked out of the FA Cup by Nottingham Forest in the third round.
Arsenal were last crowned champions of England in 2004 but Wenger said winning the title was about more than spending money.
"I'm convinced that the way football is going, it's maybe not only to buy players with huge amounts of money, but have players in your team who care about your club, have a sense of belonging and a pride of belonging to the club."
______________
Read more
Richard Jolly: Sanchez can emulate Van Persie and become a transformative figure at Man United
Steve Luckings: Arsene Wenger has shown rare foresight in getting Henrikh Mkhitaryan to Arsenal
Barcelona confirm Javier Mascherano exit as Spanish one media report says he is going to China
______________
Sanchez left Arsenal just months before his contract was due to run out at the end of the season and former Gunners defender Martin Keown accused the Chile international of being the "biggest mercenary in football".
But plenty of other observers had no qualms over a move which appears to offer Sanchez a better chance of winning major honours, with Manchester United great and new Wales manager Ryan Giggs saying the forward was a "ready-made superstar".
"He can combine both," Wenger said when asked if Sanchez, 29, had joined United for financial or football reasons. "I think he goes to a great club and gets a great contract so you can understand it when a professional player can combine both aspects."
Meanwhile Chelsea manager Antonio Conte was preparing his side for another major fixture against Arsenal, the club that denied the Premier League champions the domestic double last season after beating them in the FA Cup final.
"This [the League Cup] is a good target for us, and also for Arsenal," Conte said.
"In one-and-a-half years here, I have the opportunity to win the league and play the FA Cup final, then the Community Shield and now, maybe, another final in the Carabao [League] Cup," the Italian added. "To play many finals in this country. This is very important for me and my players."
Florida: The critical Sunshine State
Though mostly conservative, Florida is usually always “close” in presidential elections. In most elections, the candidate that wins the Sunshine State almost always wins the election, as evidenced in 2016 when Trump took Florida, a state which has not had a democratic governor since 1991.
Joe Biden’s campaign has spent $100 million there to turn things around, understandable given the state’s crucial 29 electoral votes.
In 2016, Mr Trump’s democratic rival Hillary Clinton paid frequent visits to Florida though analysts concluded that she failed to appeal towards middle-class voters, whom Barack Obama won over in the previous election.
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20DarDoc%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Samer%20Masri%2C%20Keswin%20Suresh%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%24800%2C000%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Flat6Labs%2C%20angel%20investors%20%2B%20Incubated%20by%20Hub71%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi's%20Department%20of%20Health%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2010%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Day 1, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Sadeera Samarawickrama set pulses racing with his strokeplay on his introduction to Test cricket. It reached a feverish peak when he stepped down the wicket and launched Yasir Shah, who many regard as the world’s leading spinner, back over his head for six. No matter that he was out soon after: it felt as though the future had arrived.
Stat of the day - 5 The last time Sri Lanka played a Test in Dubai – they won here in 2013 – they had four players in their XI who were known as wicketkeepers. This time they have gone one better. Each of Dinesh Chandimal, Kaushal Silva, Samarawickrama, Kusal Mendis, and Niroshan Dickwella – the nominated gloveman here – can keep wicket.
The verdict Sri Lanka want to make history by becoming the first team to beat Pakistan in a full Test series in the UAE. They could not have made a better start, first by winning the toss, then by scoring freely on an easy-paced pitch. The fact Yasir Shah found some turn on Day 1, too, will have interested their own spin bowlers.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Scoreline
UAE 2-1 Saudi Arabia
UAE Mabkhout 21’, Khalil 59’
Saudi Al Abed (pen) 20’
Man of the match Ahmed Khalil (UAE)
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
SCORES IN BRIEF
Lahore Qalandars 186 for 4 in 19.4 overs
(Sohail 100,Phil Salt 37 not out, Bilal Irshad 30, Josh Poysden 2-26)
bt Yorkshire Vikings 184 for 5 in 20 overs
(Jonathan Tattersall 36, Harry Brook 37, Gary Ballance 33, Adam Lyth 32, Shaheen Afridi 2-36).
What it means to be a conservationist
Who is Enric Sala?
Enric Sala is an expert on marine conservation and is currently the National Geographic Society's Explorer-in-Residence. His love of the sea started with his childhood in Spain, inspired by the example of the legendary diver Jacques Cousteau. He has been a university professor of Oceanography in the US, as well as working at the Spanish National Council for Scientific Research and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Biodiversity and the Bio-Economy. He has dedicated his life to protecting life in the oceans. Enric describes himself as a flexitarian who only eats meat occasionally.
What is biodiversity?
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, all life on earth – including in its forests and oceans – forms a “rich tapestry of interconnecting and interdependent forces”. Biodiversity on earth today is the product of four billion years of evolution and consists of many millions of distinct biological species. The term ‘biodiversity’ is relatively new, popularised since the 1980s and coinciding with an understanding of the growing threats to the natural world including habitat loss, pollution and climate change. The loss of biodiversity itself is dangerous because it contributes to clean, consistent water flows, food security, protection from floods and storms and a stable climate. The natural world can be an ally in combating global climate change but to do so it must be protected. Nations are working to achieve this, including setting targets to be reached by 2020 for the protection of the natural state of 17 per cent of the land and 10 per cent of the oceans. However, these are well short of what is needed, according to experts, with half the land needed to be in a natural state to help avert disaster.
Company profile: buybackbazaar.com
Name: buybackbazaar.com
Started: January 2018
Founder(s): Pishu Ganglani and Ricky Husaini
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech, micro finance
Initial investment: $1 million
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Stormy seas
Weather warnings show that Storm Eunice is soon to make landfall. The videographer and I are scrambling to return to the other side of the Channel before it does. As we race to the port of Calais, I see miles of wire fencing topped with barbed wire all around it, a silent ‘Keep Out’ sign for those who, unlike us, aren’t lucky enough to have the right to move freely and safely across borders.
We set sail on a giant ferry whose length dwarfs the dinghies migrants use by nearly a 100 times. Despite the windy rain lashing at the portholes, we arrive safely in Dover; grateful but acutely aware of the miserable conditions the people we’ve left behind are in and of the privilege of choice.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
|
1.
|
United States
|
|
2.
|
China
|
|
3.
|
UAE
|
|
4.
|
Japan
|
|
5
|
Norway
|
|
6.
|
Canada
|
|
7.
|
Singapore
|
|
8.
|
Australia
|
|
9.
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
10.
|
South Korea
|
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
