Arsenal Can Now Compete Financially With Man City - Arsene Wenger

Arsenal's legendary manager,  Arsene Wenger has admitted that his club are still financially weaker than Manchester City, but are now better positioned to compete with their rivals in the transfer market.

Arsenal lost a number of players to the team from the blue side of Manchester over a five-year spell, including the likes of Bacary Sagna, Kolo Toure, Gael Clichy, Samir Nasri and Emmanuel Adebayor.

Arsenal were unable to match City in terms of wages and transfer fees in the years between 2009 and 2014, but Wenger is adamant that the exodus of star players at their peak is now at an end, amid suggestions that both Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez could be on their way next summer.

“City were good clients!” he told reporters ahead of this weekend’s meeting between the two teams. “We are [in a stronger position now] because today I feel we can give financial satisfaction and support ambitions and values that can make the players happy at this club.

“Before, perhaps the financial gap was too big a difference to keep our players. We could not compete, we had to sell players. It has reduced but it is still there.”

Arsenal travel to City on Sunday afternoon as both sides play catch-up to runaway leaders, Chelsea FC.

BIG-NAME MOVES: ARSENAL To MANCHESTER CITY

Bacary Sagna (June 2014, free)

Samir Nasri (August 2011, £25million)

Gael Clichy (July 2011, £7million)

Emmanuel Adebayor (July 2009, £25million)

Kolo Toure (July 2009, £15million)

Arsenal are six points behind the leaders after a 2-1 defeat by Everton on Tuesday night, when opposing manager Ronald Koeman accused Wenger of always making defeats about the officials.