Legendary former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has offered a blunt analysis of the struggles facing both Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, labeling their current situations as “tough times” and suggesting both clubs require a complete rebuild.
Speaking after Tottenham’s 1-0 victory over Manchester United on Sunday, a match that saw both teams languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table, Wenger expressed his surprise at the decline of these two giants of English football.
“You will not find many happy fans on either side,” Wenger told beIN Sports. “When you say it’s a very important game, I would say that it’s not a very important game for the table because they are out of everything. It’s important for pride and to find peace with your fans because both teams cost over a billion pounds. Both teams have the same problem: to find good players to rebuild their team.”
Wenger, who enjoyed numerous battles with both clubs during his 22-year reign at Arsenal, pointed to the staggering amount of money both clubs have spent in recent years with little to show for it.
He highlighted that despite a combined net spend of over £1.3 billion since 2019, the two clubs have only a Carabao Cup and an FA Cup between them in that period.
“The whole team has to be rebuilt at Tottenham and at Man United as well – that will not be easy for either side,” Wenger added.
His comments underscore the stark reality facing both clubs. Manchester United, who finished second in the Premier League in 2018, have been plagued by inconsistency and poor recruitment since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.
Tottenham, who reached the Champions League final in 2019, have also struggled to maintain their progress and are now on their fifth permanent manager since Mauricio Pochettino’s departure in 2019.
