Arsene Wenger has called reports he is set to take over the AC Milan manager’s job ‘fake news’ but the Frenchman has form when it comes to lying about rumours.

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Arsene Wenger to AC Milan

In the murky world of transfer business, identifying what’s true and what isn’t is a near impossible task and the same stands when trying to work out where Arsene Wenger will end up.

Stories are fabricated or misreported all the time, while nobody involved is ever honest when asked.

The games played in the media by managers, players and agents alike are all part and parcel of the transfer window and we see the same thing is in play here with Wenger who has willingly taken part in this nonsense over the years.

However, it’s important to separate outright lies from statements that have been made to look untrue due to the volatile nature of the transfer market.

For example, on January 27th, 2009, Wenger denied that a fee had been agreed for Zenit St. Petersburg attacker Andriy Arshavin. Four days later, he was confirmed as an Arsenal player. Wenger didn’t necessarily lie about a fee being agreed. Rather, he likely told the truth on the 27th, but the situation changed quickly in the coming days.

Yet, there were times he made statements that turned out to be completely untrue.

So, here are five instances where Wenger wasn’t being entirely truthful about transfers…and I don’t even mention Santi Cazorla or Mikel Arteta!

Robin van Persie (2012)

“He will stay at Arsenal,” was Wenger’s firm promise during the summer of 2012.

By this point, Dutch forward Robin van Persie had already released his open letter to the club which confirmed his decision not to extend his contract at the club.

He had a number of grievances with Arsenal and the way they were handling their transfer business, and saw no reason to stay.

Speculation about a move that summer mounted.

That particular line from Wenger was in response to rumours linking van Persie to Juventus.

Whether it be to a rival or abroad, Wenger was adamant his star striker wasn’t going anywhere.

Yet, interest from Manchester United lurked in the background, and on August 15th, 2012, terms between the clubs were agreed.

Two days later, van Persie was a Manchester United player.

Samir Nasri (2011)

Arsenal had just arrived in China ahead of a friendly against Hangzhou Greentown and, for the first time that pre-season, Samir Nasri was a part of the squad.

The French midfielder had a year left on his contract and wasn’t willing to sign an extension. Rumours were that he would go to either Manchester United or Manchester City.

Wenger, in his first press conference in front of the gathered press, had this to say: “Will he [Nasri] be at the club next season? I say yes. Nasri is very happy at the club and is committed to staying.”

Perhaps Nasri was happy at that time, but the story had a familiar ending.

A player apparently committed to staying had no interest in a new deal and was soon sold to Manchester City.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t the only major departure that summer…

Cesc Fabregas (2011)

Unlike Nasri and van Persie, Cesc Fabregas had a long-term contract at Arsenal when he left the club.

Nobody wanted to the Spaniard leave, least of all Wenger, who had spent years raising him and built his team around the midfielder’s talents.

The lure of Barcelona, though, proved to be too strong to ignore.

It was a long and drawn out saga in which Fabregas mysteriously disappeared from pre-season training, and Barcelona acted like the transfer was inevitable.

Wenger had other ideas, saying: “I will be clear about this. Fabregas is with Arsenal for a long time and he will stay with Arsenal.”

The statement was good news for concerned supporters who didn’t want to see the team’s best player leave.

Unfortunately, it ended up as token resistance from the manager.

Fabregas was sold to Barcelona on the 15th of August to round off an horrific summer for the club.

Thierry Henry (2007)

“Thierry Henry will be here next year. Can I guarantee that? Yes, of course.”

It won’t surprise you to know that Thierry Henry wasn’t at Arsenal the following year.

In this case, it’s easy to understand why Wenger offered his guarantee.

Henry was the club’s record goalscorer and easily the best player in the squad. Much like Fabregas four years later, nobody wanted him to leave.

At this point, Arsenal’s unwanted reputation as a selling club hadn’t been established.

They were still a major power in English football and expected to compete for major honours. To admit that Henry had to be sold would have been a radical departure from the norm.

It would have been painful for the club to do so.

Yet, the story has a familiar ending. Thierry Henry was sold to Barcelona.

Alexis Sanchez (2017)

This one is a unique case because Alexis Sanchez did, after many twists and turns, remain an Arsenal player – or a while anyway. Hence, Wenger’s comments throughout the summer ended up being true, initially.

“The decision has been made and we will stick to that. The decision is not to sell.”

Arsenal resisted any interest from Manchester City or Paris St. Germain and, for once, looked set to back-up their claims.

That was until the final week of the transfer window arrived, and everything changed.

Arsenal didn’t stick to their decision not to sell.

In the finals day of the transfer window, Arsenal agreed, in principle, to sell Alexis Sanchez to Manchester City. This was a conditional sale, as it depended on a replacement arriving.

Nonetheless, after weeks of saying otherwise, Arsenal were prepared to sell him.

On a dramatic final day, Arsenal failed to bring a replacement in and told City that the deal was off.

A twist of fate prevented Wenger from lying about the future of one of his key players again, at least for a few months…