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Arsene Wenger is always a fascinating interview.

Here, in an exclusive interview with beIN Sports, the Arsenal manager discusses this season, the chances of signing Petr Cech, Alexis Sanchez and even Thierry Henry’s criticism of Olivier Giroud.

His view on Chelsea’s title success and the chances of him going out to dinner with Jose Mourinho. He talks the FA Cup, Tim Sherwood and he also reveals how close he came to quitting Arsenal in 2014.

Wenger was talking on Monday before Wednesday’s draw with Sunderland. You can see the interview on the Keys and Gray show on beIN Sports, which is aired around the world.

OPINION:Arsenal need a world-class forward to fight for the title

Q: How do you assess this season?

A: “The question marks always exist because it’s part of our job and we feel that we are in a cup final again, we have made progress in the championship. The questions marks last year were a lot about us dealing with the big games and I think we have moved forward on that front, especially since December and January. We have become resilient, reliable and a consistent team.

Overall we have moved forward and it is a good platform to move forward next season. I believe as well people always want more. That is normal. The consistency that we have shown over the years is absolutely exceptional and for years, where we had no chance to compete for the championship because we had restricted finances, we remained at the top and we developed many strong players. Now, I believe we are in a position where you can expect always more.

Q: What was your most significant result this season?

A: “Maybe our win at Manchester City where it was not expected from us and overall, maybe the win in the FA Cup at Manchester United. These were moments that strengthened the belief of my team.

Q: What are your aspirations for next season?

A: “The aspirations are the same as everybody: to fight to win the Premier League, to do well in the Champions League and to do well in the FA Cup. That has not changed. We have been in two finals in the last two years in the FA Cup. I believe the regret of the season is our exit against Monaco but Monaco has the same regret against Juventus because they didn’t deserve to go out against Juventus. On our side we feel that we were guilty of wanting too much to make the difference in the first game.

Q: Given Arsenal’s 2015 form, is there a sense that this season was a missed opportunity to win the Premier League title?

A: “Yes and no. Yes because if we would have started like that, we would have done it. No because the championship is about consistency and we didn’t start well. Having said that, after the World Cup we had many problems on the injury front and if you get a player who has just won the World Cup, it’s impossible that in September he is at his peak and we have paid a heavy price for that. On the other hand, Chelsea has only lost two games so that has made them difficult to beat.”

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Q: Is Alexis Sanchez your best transfer since Thierry Henry?

A: “Yes, he’s the closest maybe. He has similar movement and he’s a killer as well. He wants to always play and to always win. He’s highly focused and motivated.

Q: Are you ready to spend big this summer?

A: “We are ready to spend the money for players who strengthen our team. There is a difference in that and just spending money. If I ask you who has spent the most money this last season and if I give you last season, and the season before, it is never the teams who have won the championship. If for example we got a player like Coquelin, if we had bought Coquelin for £40m in December, because he started to play in December, everybody would say, ‘What a buy! What a great player!’, but the fact that he comes out from our own club and plays, everybody says you still have to buy a player in his position. You have to be careful sometimes not to rate the players only by the amount of money they cost but just look at their performances.

“We are in a position where we just want a player with an exceptional quality in any area that can strengthen us. The depth of squad is important and any world class player in any position can help us achieve what we want to achieve.

Q: Are you focused on signing on Petr Cech this summer?

A: “We are not (focused) on Petr Cech at the moment. We are focused on finishing well this season and therefore it is very important not to talk too much about what we do after. I’m focused on tomorrow. The quality of our season is decided now. We are not directly qualified in the Champions League. We have a FA Cup final to play and after that we see where we stand and what we do after that.

Q: What do you make of Thierry Henry’s comments that Arsenal cannot win the title with Olivier Giroud?

A: “Nobody can win you the Premier League title alone. Olivier Giroud is part of the squad and he has done extremely well. He’s scored 14 goals in the Premier League in 20 games. He works very hard for the team. Alone, of course he cannot win it.

Q: You’ve made £40m signings for the last two seasons. Will your next one be a striker?

A: “I don’t know. It’s not necessarily linked with the money. I’ve shown many doubters that I’m ready to spend money for players who have the quality but, first of all, you must have the money and then, secondly, the players who cost that kind of money are available.

Q: Is Giroud tough enough, mentally, to be a leading striker in the Premier League?

A: “Yes of course he is. I don’t doubt that at all. It is like that when a striker misses chances. It happens to everybody. They are criticized but I always believe there is a difference between saying the performance of a player today was absolutely bad or is a difference between that and always saying, ‘Look this player is not good enough. He is not the level’. You can never convict definitely a player. The players accept that they had a bad performance because top level players acknowledge when they don’t play well. I believe that he has done extremely well. He has won the championship in France, let’s not forget that.

Olivier Giroud - Premier League 2014/15 1839 Minutes played 14 Goals 3 Assists

Q: How do you view your Premier League season?

A: “By going upwards and, overall, I believe if we finish in the top three (that would be) satisfying. It’s not in a position where you want to finish but, as well, if you listen to all the comments that we got in November and October, nobody expected us to be where we can finish now. Overall I feel we have made progress and we want to try and do better next season.

Q: What character trait do you associate with Chelsea’s title-winning side of 2015?

A: “I believe they were very stable defensively. They had a very strong start. They had players who excelled at the start like Fabregas and Diego Costa, who gave them a good push and after, when these players were less influential, they remain a team still difficult to beat and that made the difference.

Q: Have Chelsea been boring?

A: “No. For me, that’s not boring. I don’t judge. Everybody has his own style. If you want to win the championship, you have to make the points, no matter how. You have to respect that. I’m not a judge. I believe they have played some good football as well. When you get close to the end, you just want to get over the line and sometimes you play a little more cautious but I believe we look at our ourselves and we try to play as well as we can and try to be as efficient as we can.

Q: Can you see yourself ever having dinner with Mourinho once you’ve retired?

“People know what I think and it’s not necessary to add anything to that. I love football and I love to talk about football. I love to go to football games to watch football but I know that the media is more interested sometimes in the stories around the game but I’m more interested especially in the game and I’m not disturbed by all the distractions anymore. Maybe fifteen or twenty years ago , yes, but today I know what is important and what is less important in life.

Q: On Van Gaal’s first season at Manchester United?

A: “I believe he has shown personality and character. He has shown that he has his own views and that he has made progress during the season. Overall, it wasn’t easy for him to come in. He had so many players to find the balance. It takes time to get to know the players and to know what clicks and what will work together and not and he has done that well.

Q: On Leicester City staying up?

A: “It’s not a surprise to me. When we played them, and you can ask Nigel Parson, after the game they played against us at the Emirates, I told him that if he continues that spirit and with that quality in their game, he will stay up. Let’s not forget that Leicester were a team who dominated the Championship last year and at the end of the day they stayed up.

“I believe it’s difficult to predict what will happen next season because the Premiership, at the end after 38 games, you go down for one point more or one point less. Who knows football well enough to predict that? I don’t. At the end of the day you want teams who play positive football to stay up and Leicester played good football.

Q: What are the standout moments for Arsenal on your path to the FA Cup final this season?

A: “Maybe the Manchester United game, where we were expected to maybe get knocked out and we didn’t. As well, our convincing performance that we showed on the day and the convincing performance of Welbeck on the day because it’s never easy when you go back to your former club and you play there. After that, maybe the difficult journey we had against Reading at Wembley. We have always a very difficult game in the semi-final. We had that last year against Wigan and we had that again this season and we suffered more than everybody expected.

Q: How important is it to win successive FA Cups for the fans?

A: “It’s very important for me. You want your fans to be happy and I want personally to be happy as well and that would make me happy. It’s a final. It’s 50-50 but let’s prepare well and give absolutely everything on the day. We learnt last year how to deal with the pressure and hopefully we can show that this season.

Q: Would you have quit as Arsenal boss if you hadn’t won the FA Cup final last season?

A: “Maybe. I have the luck. I’ve won it five times with Arsenal. I know how big it is and how important it is but it is one game. On the other hand, you have to be serious when you’ve been at the club for seventeen or eighteen years. We should not, just on one game, a cup final, considered to be leaving for that but it’s what people want. We are in a job where we have to accept that we are on a permanent tribunal now and on every single game you are judged and you have to accept it and live with it but still, you know what is great in our job? You have to believe in what is great in our game and the values that football can carry and the pleasure that we can give to people through the game and we have to focus on that. It’s still a great day and a moment that you can enjoy together and it has to be like that.

Q: How much easier is it going to be going out this time at Wembley?

A: “I am experienced enough to know that when you don’t win, it’s a very sad moment in your life because you tried very hard to get there but try as well to enjoy it because I played so many games and managed so many games that I now that it’s important as well to enjoy every game because it’s a privilege to be in this job.

(Image: The FA via Getty)

Q: What’s the difference to the team who beat Hull last year and the one facing Villa?

A: “We have a good balance. We know more that if our performance is right we can win it. We are ready to pay the price to earn the right to win it because at the end of the day, that’s what has to be right first. Put the effort in and earn the right to win the competition like that and then you have a good chance.

Q: On the chances of becoming the first post-war manager to win the FA Cup six times?

A: “I would be extremely proud and happy but it’s not so much about me, it’s about the club and the team. I won it many times and I’m still very hungry to win it again. I have the luck in that I’ve won it in every country I’ve worked so it’s great.

(Image: Getty)

Q: On the threat that Aston villa pose?

A: “They have Benteke up front who can score goals and is very dangerous on crosses. They are quick on counter-attacks. They have young players like Grealish who look formidable as well. In midfield, Delph is a very influential midfielder so they can be a very dangerous team.

Q: On Tim Sherwood?

A: “He’s done extremely well because he got there in a situation where they were desperate and we are warned because the way they turned the game around against Liverpool in the semi-final is of course something we have to study well and keep in our mind.”