Arsene Wenger has hit back at Karl-Heinz Rummenigge's claims that the youngsters he brings to Arsenal amounts to "child trafficking". Rummenigge claimed Arsenal sign "hosts" of players from France among other places in order to find the stars of the future.
Although Rummenigge's comments were made earlier this year, Wenger is still surprised by the nature and the strength of his argument.
"I am surprised about such an aggressive statement that has nothing to do with reality," the French tactician told Spiegel Magazine.
"We are only signing two, three players and if we are signing teenagers then we are handing them a real opportunity. You cannot say that about Bayern. I am well dismayed about such nonsense.
"What is going to happen if we are not allowed to sign Under-18 players any longer? There'll be an agent, with some from Africa or South America under contract, buying a small club in which these youngsters are going to play then. He then sells them as soon as they turn 18 years of age. The transfer money is going to end up in the agent's pocket from the club.
"The transfer money gained from the transfer is going to end up right in the pocket of that agent via the small club."
