TheSportsCampus

Arsene Wenger was once again forced to launch a staunch defence of his methods at Arsenal as fans experience a sense of deja vu with regards to one of their big players wanting to leave in the summer. Robin van Persie's refusal to sign a new contract has pushed him close to the exit door as questions are again raised about the state of a club who have lost their best players every passing year.

Speaking to the Express prior to embarking on their Asian pre-season tour, the Frenchman reiterated his stance on financial stability as he said: "We always defend the values of the club, and the model has to be self-sustainable, otherwise it can completely go out of shape and become very fragile. The financial solidity of the club is vital, for me, and therefore I have always supported that and I will continue to do that."

Wenger pointed to the fact that Arsenal had made it into the Champions League 15 seasons in a row, thus proving that his policies were successful. But he also conceded that a lack of trophies couldn't be masked by their regular appearance in European competitions. Wenger has spent big on transfers this summer as he has brought in Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski for considerable dough. Although their model is still rightly based on developing players rather than making ready-made purchases, the lack of success is bound to hit them hard when those players decide to jump ship.