Paul Merson is coming out of retirement to play for third-tier Welsh side Caerau but Arsene Wenger certainly ain’t impressed.

Wenger was feeling particularly savage on Thursday morning during his pre-Watford press conference.

The Frenchman refused to talk about Merson signing for Caerau at the age 49 because he only wanted to discuss ‘professional football’ and that wasn’t all.

When asked about Merson’s recent claims that Wenger lacks Harry Redknapp’s ‘tactical nous’, the boss didn’t even hide how few f**ks he gives.

“These debates that I hear are a joke, a farce,” he said.

“If I really cared, do you think I would have survived for 18 years? I managed Paul Merson… I tried. I’m not interested.”

There’s something immensely satisfying about the way Wenger can just shoot down criticism from pundits and former players so easily. He’s so intelligent and eloquent that it doesn’t come across as petty, which is reinforced by the fact that he barely ever publicly addresses such things.

To be fair, Merson’s not been a fan of Wenger for a long time. Ever since he got sold to newly relegated Middlesbrough a year after the boss took over. Perhaps it’s because he was only offered a two-year deal to stay in north London and didn’t feel wanted.

The midfielder later claimed it was because Boro were ‘going places’…

Arsenal immediately went on to win the Double that season.

There’s no love lost between Merson and Wenger and it’s amusing to watch their latest public jibes from the sidelines.