Close January transfer window for good: Wenger

Arsenal to take on struggling Fulham in Premier League clash today.

LONDON: Arsene Wenger says the January transfer window should be scrapped and believes few big deals will go through before it closes at the end of the month, the Arsenal boss said on Friday.

“I would sign [up] for the January transfer window to be scrapped completely,” Wenger told a news conference ahead of the Premier League leaders’ home clash with struggling Fulham.

“The January transfer market will not be busy, it is a low-key market this year. The financial resources this season explains why the league is so tight.”

Arsenal splashed out a club record £42 million pounds for Mesut Ozil and injuries to Aaron Ramsey and Theo Walcott have led to speculation that Wenger may try to bolster his squad this month with new signings.

Wenger, however, has never been a fan of signing players in January and earlier this week labelled transfer talk ‘distracting’.

“We have a very even squad, quality wise and we are on a good run. At the moment we are not close to signing anybody.”

Despite Fulham’s lowly league position, Wenger believes the London club will avoid the drop under new manager Rene Meulensteen.

“Fulham have struggled at home but I believe they have enough quality to stay in the league.”

Sturridge can be world-class, says Rodgers

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes Daniel Sturridge can still take his game to another level as the title-chasing Reds face Aston Villa on Saturday.

Sturridge had been out since the end of November but came off the bench to score one goal and set up another for Luis Suarez in Liverpool’s 5-3 win at Stoke City last weekend.

Rodgers must now decide how to reintegrate the striker into his starting line-up against Villa at Anfield. Suarez has already scored 22 goals this season and in the absence of Sturridge, Philippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling have impressed in the wide positions in a front three.

The only way to cram all four players into his team may see Rodgers switch from a flexible 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2 formation.

And Rodgers was impressed by Sturridge’s sharpness on his return and he thinks the forward can make a major contribution in the second-half of the season.

“My opinion on Daniel has only been reinforced through the time that I have worked with him,” said Rodgers.

“I think he’s got a wonderful opportunity to become world-class. He has every quality to be a world-class striker, similar to what Luis Suarez is.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2014.

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