Wenger: I am 99% confident on new signings

In his press conference before this weekend’s match against Watford, Arsène Wenger was (unsurprisingly) asked about transfers, and he obliged with some pretty straight answers. According to Wenger, there will be movement, and it could all be done before Transfer Armageddon.

We are working on the deals. We are not close enough to announce today that they will sign for us, and will we sign anybody before the end of the transfer window? I am 99 per cent confident...maybe I am a bit too optimistic, but I hope we have done what we wanted before [deadline day].

Wenger also spoke on Calum Chambers’ future at Arsenal, and his upcoming season. Asked whether Chambers’ future would be affected by a new signing (like Shkodran Mustafi):

Future? No. The fact that he could go out somewhere and play? Yes...[he] maybe will go on loan somewhere.

Either way, the pending deals will not distract the team.

Not for me, not for us. We know the priority is to get results and to win your next game. We have shot ourselves in the foot so we have to respond very quickly. When you look at the other teams, they’re making points.

There’s more, as well – if you’d like, read the rest of the quotes here. One last money quote, though, on Wenger’s thrift:

It is a shame you are not my friend. You will see I spend a lot of money.

Now I want to party with Arsène Wenger.