Arsène Wenger believes that the World Cup will have a delaying effect on the transfer market this summer.
The tournament kicks off on June 12 when hosts Brazil take on Croatia in Sao Paulo, and only comes to a conclusion with the final on July 13.
Wenger feels that trying to conduct transfer business at this time can prove difficult, with things only hotting up again after the competition ends.
From my experience, the World Cup years have always been very quiet until the end of the World Cup, with no players reachable
Arsène Wenger
“At the moment I have people around me who start to look [at players],” the Arsenal manager said. “What is available you know always, but we are not on the market specifically at all because teams still play in many countries.
“After that, from my experience, the World Cup years have always been very quiet until the end of the World Cup, with no players reachable. Everybody is focused in the country on their national team and there’s not a lot happening. People are away.
“I believe this year again you will have to wait until July 15 to start going.”
Wenger admits that it is likely to be a hectic summer window for the club, but he wants to avoid wholesale changes.
“It will be busy but the main thing for us will be to keep the stability because we feel we are close,” he said. “We want to add something that makes us even stronger. But number wise it will not be massive.
“You have to be on alert. You speak about Ozil but if we could have done Ozil one month earlier we would have done it. But he was just available for three days.
“Why? Because the Gareth Bale story lasted for so long and they had so many clauses in his contract that they could not finish it.”
Bacary Sagna and Lukasz Fabianski are both out of contract this summer, and Wenger insists he would both to stay at the club.
“We have only two players who are out of contract – Fabianski and Sagna,” he said. “All the rest need our agreement and they haven’t got it yet.
“I want to keep [Fabianski]. He’s 29 and has a decision to make. Does he want to stay here or move and have a guarantee to be No 1? He knows I want to keep him.
“I hope, because we have shown faith in him for long periods, that we will be rewarded for that.”
does it hurt though? you know, 10 years, no trophies, closer to Everton than the title, etc
If I'm honest yes but I don't think it's as bad as having a premature victory parade only to have your captain slip and fall on his face and look like a fool as he's scrambles to make up for his error, essentially costing you the league. Peak times.
We're gonna win the league, We're gonna win the league, And now your gonna bel....oh
Nah babes I'm not, straight up G/matchday G/White Dress is just a strange person and I want to know why! No harm in that!
wtf is up with your gender? Went you female the other week?
I'm really not, I'm just actually sure what your purpose is, I'm curious
Long story haha. G is a don tbh, he's actually WUMmed Arsenal fans AFTER the season has finished. How is that even possible. And in the week leading up to a FA cup final for your first trophy in 9 years
If I'm honest yes but I don't think it's as bad as having a premature victory parade only to have your captain slip and fall on his face and look like a fool as he's scrambles to make up for his error, essentially costing you the league. Peak times.
We're gonna win the league, We're gonna win the league, And now your gonna bel....oh
3 weeks hurt vs a decade of delusion and suffering? Nahhhh
Sad truth is that you pegs, as well as most of the posters on this board, are probably too young to remember the last time Arsenal won a trophy. Honestly quite saddening, you guys have been pained so many times. Try a different sport?
How's life knowing Liverpool will never be closer or have a better chance at winning the title?
Pot kettle? How old are you? I doubt many of you remember Arsenal winning the league (bar probably Tom, Zurich, 419) so I really don't understand how you can laugh at the Scousers. You bottled it against Birmingham in the COC
3 weeks hurt vs a decade of delusion and suffering? Nahhhh
Sad truth is that you pegs, as well as most of the posters on this board, are probably too young to remember the last time Arsenal won a trophy. Honestly quite saddening, you guys have been pained so many times. Try a different sport?
Pot kettle? How old are you? I doubt many of you remember Arsenal winning the league (bar probably Tom, Zurich, 419) so I really don't understand how you can laugh at the Scousers. You bottled it against Birmingham in the COC
You've made no point here at all. Comment wasn't even laughing at them bottling, more over the fact that they're never going to have an easier chance So I was probably young and knew absolute ****e about football but I still watched us win the league in the 03/04 season so your other point also flops And a bottle vs Birmingham in the league cup has any comparison to an EPL challenge?
Pot kettle? How old are you? I doubt many of you remember Arsenal winning the league (bar probably Tom, Zurich, 419) so I really don't understand how you can laugh at the Scousers. You bottled it against Birmingham in the COC
Long story haha. G is a don tbh, he's actually WUMmed Arsenal fans AFTER the season has finished. How is that even possible. And in the week leading up to a FA cup final for your first trophy in 9 years