After more that 20 years at Arsenal, being asked to name his best ever winter transfer window signing was clearly a tall order for Arsene Wenger.
There were so many great players that passed through the club both at Highbury and the Emirates Stadium, but the Frenchman noted how one stood head and shoulders above any other January signings.
“What a difficult question. Over 20 years, maybe Kanu,” Wenger said to beIN Sports and cited by the Daily Star.
“In the middle of the season, that had a big impact and was a huge player.”
All of that said, Wenger is clearly no fan of the January window, for the advantages that it hands to certain teams at the halfway point of the season.
“I think it is like a race in a marathon where you change the shoes half way,” he said to beIN Sports and cited by the Daily Star.
“It is not right, when once you have started the season, you have to finish the season with the same players. Or you keep it open the whole season like it was when I arrived in England. They have chosen a rule that is not right.”
Although most of the big money normally gets spent in the summer windows in any event, the fact that teams can buy in reinforcements certainly does put some at more of an advantage than others.
Looking ahead, the transfer landscape is likely to change immeasurably because of the coronavirus pandemic outbreak, with deals even being done over the next few summers likely to consist of loans and player swaps as clubs seek to recoup the finances lost through lack of broadcasting and match day revenue.