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And talking of foreigners, there is his much criticised transfer policy which has seen the English eased out with foreigners to the fore.

Wenger's first deals showed which way Arsenal were heading when he signed Patrick Vieira and off-loaded Eddie McGoldrick.

His net average annual outlay is in the region of �4.5m and the estimated �160m he has spent is less than Jose Mourinho has splurged in his two-year spending spree across London at Chelsea.

There have been duds - Francis Jeffers resembled a cardboard box as opposed to the much-touted "fox in the box" - but Wenger has signed and developed legends.