Did Arsene Wenger lie about Arsenal’s striker plans?

Arsene Wenger may have lied to us all about his plans to head into next season with Olivier Giroud as Arsenal’s first-choice striker

I suppose we can add a third certainty to the age-old pairing of death and taxes. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger lying to media and the fans during the summer transfer window is the world’s third unavoidable certainty.

It was just last week when Wenger told the Standard that he was sure his club would head into next season campaign with Frenchman Olivier Giroud firmly installed as his first-choice striker. Sure, he admitted that he’d be keen to add another front man to replace the injured Danny Welbeck, but he was insistent that Giroud was his preferred option.

That sentiment doesn’t jive with today’s news that Arsenal are planning a big money bid for Juventus striker Alvaro Morata. It may end up being a purchase from Real Madrid after the La Liga giants inevitably activate their buyback clause for their former super sub, but that makes no real difference as it relates to Wenger. He flat out lied regarding his plans for next season.

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Let’s be real here. There’s no way that Morata is going to head to North London to serve as a bench player for the Gunners. He’s only going to make a move to the Premier League if he’s assured of a starting place. Arsenal just isn’t enough to attract his services otherwise.

If Morata were content to be a super sub, he simply would have stayed at Real Madrid all along. He had regular playing time there and had the opportunity to win boat loads of trophies. Success at Real Madrid is far more of a guarantee than at Arsenal.

Wenger defenders might claim that this report is bollocks and that Arsenal really aren’t trying to acquire Morata. If that were true, the press wouldn’t bother to continually link him with the Gunners. Plenty of other Premier League clubs could be used by the tabloids to sell papers or by Morata’s representatives to drive up his transfer price. They’re naming Arsenal because there is real, concrete interest there.

More Machiavellian football fans might be inclined to applaud Wenger for lying to throw fans and other club’s “off the scent.” I’m not advocating that he should publish his transfer list in the Evening Standard for all to see. I’m just making the point that there’s no reason to out and out lie about things. He could have said nothing at all regarding his plans and achieved the same effect.

I suppose the real victim in this is poor Olivier Giroud. Last week he believed he was a lock to start every big match at centre forward for Arsenal next season, but now he knows that’s just a dream. Whether it’s Alvaro Morata, or another big-name purchase, he’ll have a positional fight on his hands next season.