Wenger: 'Manchester City are in another world'

(GETTY IMAGES)

Manchester City's £100m move for AC Milan's Brazilian star Kaka would create a "disturbance" in the transfer market, according to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

City remain hopeful of landing Kaka, with wages of a staggering £500,000 said to be on offer.

With the Manchester club bankrolled by the vast funds of owner Sheikh Mansour of the Abu Dhabi United Group, who took over in the summer, Wenger accepts that they, just like Chelsea in the past, operate outside the normal parameters.

"It does not look real to me at all. It is like an abstraction," said Wenger, who continues to pursue Russian playmaker Andrei Arshavin, but not at an inflated fee.

"It does not look in connection with today's world because on one side we have the economic situation which is quite worrying and for me this is abstraction.

"We live in a football club who lives in the real world. That means we spend the money we make from our income.

"The implications would be disturbance on the market, an inflationary trend in a deflationary world."

Wenger maintains the traditionally-prudent Gunners will not break the bank to aim to compete with the spending power of City.

"It leaves Arsenal where we are. That means we spend the money we produce and we make," he said.

"We are in a world where we live from three kinds of income - gate receipts, the sponsors and the television money. That is the real world of football.

"The rest is exceptional and is not the rule of our world. It is a special income with unlimited resources, but it is not the real world.

"Whether it is us, Sunderland or Coventry we live with the same rules.

"Manchester City are in a different world because they do not live with their income."

Wenger insists he does not cast a jealous eye over the goings on at Eastlands, as the French coach considers what moves to make in the transfer window.

"I am more concerned with what to do to win the next game rather than how to spend £100m," he said.

"My purpose is to develop the team on a daily basis and to think how we can improve.

"For me what is interesting is being on the football pitch in the morning and trying to see how we can develop as a team."

Wenger added: "I never felt like that [envious]. You can ask all the clubs where I was, I never renegotiated any of my contracts.

"Once I sign, I am happy with what I do and I try to give my best for what I have signed.

"Never in my life have I had that - I have never asked another manager how much money he is making, I have no interest in that.

"I enjoy what I do and try to do it as well as I can."

Bolton boss Gary Megson, meanwhile, believes City boss Mark Hughes will have his work cut out persuading the world's top stars to move to Eastlands.

"Good luck to them if they can get those kind of players, but it is not as easy as you would think," said Megson, who had a spell at City as a player.

"Mark's task is possibly more difficult because the spotlight is intense.

"Things have changed and they are after some of the best players in the world, but those players are already at huge football clubs playing Champions League football.

"They are already earning vast sums themselves so it is not a case of clicking your fingers and they will come running, it is going to take a bit of time I am sure."