Arsene Wenger has revealed that a player’s form in games away from home is a key ingredient when it comes to player recruitment at the Emirates.

Coming under fire for not signing a single outfield player during the summer transfer window, the boss has been telling Arsenal player some of the things he instructs scouts to look for before they (don’t) buy a player.

ST ALBANS, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 28: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and ex player Robert Pires talk with Santi Cazorla during training at London Colney on September 28, 2015 in St Albans, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images,)
ST ALBANS, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 28: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and ex player Robert Pires talk with Santi Cazorla during training at London Colney on September 28, 2015 in St Albans, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images,)

“You could say it’s linked more to bravery – your character is more tested away from home, at home you feel the players are a bit more protected.

“But what I say to my scouts is, ‘Watch this player for me, but watch him in an away game.’ You want to know how he behaves away from home because usually at home you will be all right.

“If a scout comes to me and says he has found a good player, I ask where he saw him. If it was at home, I tell them to go and watch them away as well because it’s a better test of their character, their bravery and their desire.

“Once a player is good away from home, you can say you will consider him.”

This leaves the door wide open for people to have a dig at the club for not bothering to watch any players away from home before the transfer window opened, but I drunk a lot of rum yesterday and could be just extra grumpy today so I won’t go down that road.

Still, it’s nice to get a small insight into something that goes on behind the scenes, but you can’t help but think that there are many far more important factors that ultimately go into the final decision to purchase a player – price being the main one that springs to mind.