Four More Years for Wenger

Four More Years for Wenger Soccer: Arsene Wenger is set to sign a contract that will see him stay at Arsenal for another four years.

Arsène Wenger will today sign a new contract at Arsenal which would eventually extend his stay to 15 years. The deal will be worth £4m per season, with the buoyant mood apparently unaffected by confirmation from Cesc Fábregas that he spoke with Real Madrid officials in the summer.

Indeed, joint top and unbeaten in the Premier League, these are upbeat times for Arsenal, all the more so with confirmation that the Frenchman will be staying until 2011, and so is his best player.

Wenger had suggested that he would ask Arsenal to sue Real should any proof be unearthed that Fábregas had been the subject of an illegal approach. "I did not allow Fábregas to talk to anybody," said the Frenchman at the time. "He denies that he spoke to Real Madrid. So if you can get the statement that he's done that and that Real Madrid, more than ever, has done that we will sue Real Madrid."

The player's comments to Radio Marca would appear to offer that proof. However, while Arsenal's management may seek clarification from Fábregas, they are content that the player is happy having signed an eight-year extension and are unlikely to pursue the matter with Real or Fifa.

The 57-year-old Wenger, meanwhile, recruited in 1996, has won three Premier League titles and four FA Cups for the Gunners, and he also took them to Uefa Cup and European Cup finals.

Chelsea have denied that Michael Ballack has been left out of their Champions League squad because he has no future with them, even though Wayne Bridge, who has a similar injury and is not expected to be fit for at least eight weeks, has been included. The German, who arrived from Bayern Munich in 2006, has not played for Chelsea since April because of an ankle injury. "Chelsea Football Club would like to reiterate that Michael Ballack's omission from the Uefa Champions League group phase squad was taken only because of injury," the club claimed. "There is no other reason for the decision and suggestions to the contrary are unfair on Michael, who is attempting to get fit as soon as possible, and our medical team."

Bayern Munich's president Franz Beckenbauer has criticized Ballack's choice of club. "I think it was a mistake," he said. "There was a space available for his position with Manchester United and he would have fitted into their system perfectly. The same with Real Madrid. But at Chelsea his role was filled by Frank Lampard."

By Guardian Unlimited © Copyright Guardian
Newspapers 2008Published: 9/7/2007