24 Feb 2013 14:37:33
Iv picked up a couple of famous people in my cab, one was Phil Thompson. Lovely guy. He told me when he was at Liverpool and they were trying to buy Gareth Barry, Wenger made a 14.5 million pound bid for Xabi Alonso. They wanted 17. The man didn't budge. That's Xabi Alonso. {Ed027's Note - True story, my dad never shuts up when Madrid/Spain play, 'Arsenal should/could of had him

1.) 24 Feb 2013
I doubt that Wenger really decides. Maybe he could have threaten the board to leave if they wouldn't buy who he wants, but except that it is childish, it wouldn't have worked and wenger would be gone for a while now. God knows where we'd be now without him. My guess is that we would be looking at Liverpool with envy, which is saying a lot. Wenger is not all white, nobody is, but he's loyal and carries the burden that the board put on his shoulders without complaining.

Stan

2.) 24 Feb 2013
Back in the day, Dein would have asked Wenger who do you want?
And he would have done the negotiations. There were rumours that Wenger was furious he felt Dein had over paid on players. In my opinion at the moment Wenger has all the say. If he wanted an extra couple of million to buy Mata or Alonso the board would have given it. If he wanted 54 million to buy Cavani then maybe not.