By Ian Grant
Arsenal make £14.4m
Arsenal made £14.4m through the Champions League last season, via prize money and TV income.
Manchester United gained £15.6m, while semi-finalists Leeds earned £15.1m.
Champions Bayern Munich earned £28.5m, getting £4m for lifting the trophy.
United deny illegal approach
Manchester United denied on Wednesday that they had made an illegal approach to Arsenal for French midfielder Patrick Vieira.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was widely quoted in the British newspapers on Wednesday as saying United had contacted Vieira without permission, which is against premier league rules.
“I did speak to Arsenal in our interest and that was as far as it went,” United chief executive Peter Kenyon said on the club’s official website on Wednesday.
“We made it quite clear we were interested if the player was available.
“I approached the club and that was the correct procedure.”
Wenger’s future clearer
Arsene Wenger said he will commit his future to Arsenal providing he gets a pay rise in the region of £1.5million a year.
Wenger said: “I must feel the club wants to build with me and I must have guarantees that Arsenal have ambitions for the next three years. Financially I have to see myself right but if money was the essential factor, I would not stay here.”
In a France Football interview, he said:
“Arsenal can become one of the world’s greatest clubs but it is at a turning point in its history, ” said Wenger. “When the new stadium is here, Arsenal will be able to fight with everyone. Then no-one will be able to steal our players on financial grounds.
“But for the three or four years ahead, the club will have to manage its investments to dedicate part of the money to building the stadium. A balance will have to be found.”
Newcastle rebuffed again
It emerged that Newcastle had a bid for Dennis Bergkamp turned down.
This is besides rebuffs over Pep Guardiola and Emmanuel Petit at Barcelona and Dennis Bergkamp and Francis Jeffers, despite agreeing an £8m fee with Everton, and more recently Trevor Sinclair.
Real plan bid for Vieira?
According to the Daily Star, Real Madrid, yesterday were preparing a £24m bid for Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira.
It claims that Real are ready to offer Steve McManaman as part of the deal.
This follows Valencia agreeing to sell their star midfielder Gaizka Mendieta to Lazio, although the player has yet to agree personal terms.
The Star says Real will go as high as £32m for Vieira and £100,000/week.
Strange that there was a rumour about Arsenal and Pep Guardiola doing the rounds yesterday.
No Rushden for Sol
Arsene Wenger said:”I think he [Sol Campbell] will feature out in Austria. We are looking at the second match, against Real Mallorca on July 30, as a possible debut for Sol.”
Kanu can leave?
Kanu will be allowed to leave if the club get an offer of around £10m, according to the Mirror.
Arsene Wenger, in a video interview to be screened on eplsoccer. com, said: “I think we need four [strikers]. We’ll try to keep it down to four because we have young Jermaine Pennant, who’s very close now to the first team, and we have Aliadiere, the French boy, who is a very good centre-forward.
“We must also have the right balance. After spending a lot this summer, there will be some departures. That’s not only because of financial reasons but to keep the squad happy and balanced.”