Arsene Wenger took a dig at the price Manchester City paid for John Stones while also taking aim at those calling for him to spend money, those who believe you can only buy good players if you pay a lot and basically anyone else who had some transfer-related questions in tetchy post-Leicester interviews.

When he was initially interviewed straight after the final whistle by BT, Wenger admitted to being ‘fed up’ with people going on about spending money. His mood was not a good one and he seems set to get even more stubborn than he already is over the whole thing.

Digging his heels in even further, the boss also spoke about having to make sure that the 600 staff at Arsenal are paid before he can buy players (no-one wants you to bankrupt the club, Arsene, just buy enough players so we have a full squad of seniors).

But it wasn’t just Holding whom the boss used to set an example.

He was asked about Takuma Asano and why the Japanese striker, who looks to have real talent (certainly far more than some of the clowns Manchester United have managed to get work permits for over the years) was denied a permit to come to England to play for Arsenal.

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£50m you say?

Isn’t that what City paid for Raheem Sterling?

Wenger is right. Holding has done very well and should be hailed more, but he won’t be, at least not for a while because he didn’t come with the massive price tag. It’s the same with Asano, no-one rates him because of how little he cost.

While there is no doubt that you can pick up players cheaply and mould them into players worth £50m+, which is what Wenger loves to do, sometimes the need is so great that you just have to open up your wallet and get out your credit card.

Buying isn’t always the answer, but sometimes it so clearly is.

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