Wenger wants Arsenal to retain English values

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By Simon Vincent

LONDON (Reuters) - Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has hit out at foreign businessman buying top English football clubs after rumours suggested Arsenal are the subject of a 350 million pounds buy-out bid by a Russian consortium.

Wenger told reporters on Friday he would rather Arsenal stay in the hands of its English owners than be given a 100 million pounds transfer budget by foreign backers.

Champions Chelsea, Manchester United, Aston Villa and Portsmouth have all been acquired by foreign investors.

"I would choose the status quo," he said. "I am happy with the owners I have and I do not see the need for a change because we are stable financially.

"If we were bankrupt maybe, but they have made a miracle by building a new stadium without being bankrupt.

"The club is doing very well and we have a very promising team, having just come out of the Champions League final. We have a team which is getting better and better.

"We had a stuttering start, but when you look overall at what we have done financially and in a sports way, I do not feel there is a need there for a change.

"The future of the club looks good."

Wenger questioned the integrity of foreign businessmen taking over Premier League clubs and believes English values need to thrive.

"What is so good .....continued below

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"I feel it is important that English clubs have English values, and that it has not just become who spends more than anybody else.

"Until now, one of the charms of English football has been that fans created the clubs and controlled the clubs, that the owners are fans first.

"I said that until now it is a change of philosophy. I don’t know what kind of implications it will have on English football.

"I find it more reassuring that my owners are English and they are, first, fans of Arsenal Football Club.

"I will go one day and the players will go one day but the owners will be the same. They are the people who really transmit the values.

"That is why I said a few years ago that I wanted (Chelsea owner) Roman Abramovich to come out and say what club he wanted to build.

"The people who are really responsible for the philosophy and continuity of the club are the owners.

"I don’t know if it is good or bad but English football certainly has a question to ask at the moment on that front."