Arsene Wenger Finally Responds To Paul Merson’s Claim That Roy Keane Wouldn’t Work At Arsenal

Arsene Wenger has hit out at Paul Merson over claims that Manchester United legend Roy Keane wouldn't have played under him at Arsenal.

Keane, 49, enjoyed a prolific playing career at Old Trafford and is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in Premier League history.

But the legendary Irishman, who was also captain of United, was known for his no-nonsense approach and pulled no punches during heated altercations on the pitch.

Arsenal hero Merson made a bold statement in 2017 that Keane would have clashed with Wenger had he played under him at the Gunners.

The 52-year-old pundit told Sky Sports: "Arsene wouldn't have a Roy Keane playing for him.

"He wouldn't have a Mark Bosnich playing for him. They have opinions. If players aren't playing well, they'd get up and say they won't accept that. This manager doesn't want that. He has surrounded himself with nice people."

Wenger, 71, has now responded to Merson's claim by insisting that Keane was an "exceptional football player" and appeared to be someone "who controlled the team."

The legendary former Arsenal boss told The Irish Independent: "I would have loved a Roy Keane because he does the job of a manager.

"So I don't necessarily agree with that opinion. Roy Keane was an exceptional football player but he was always, as well, on the fringe of violence.

"I don't know what kind of player he was in the dressing room but to me, on the outside, he looked like a guy who controlled the team.

"But I had many strong characters in my team too, believe me. When I arrived, I already had [Steve] Bould, [Tony] Adams, [Martin] Keown, [David] Seaman and [Dennis] Bergkamp.

"They were all strong people and you need those to win football matches."

Wenger has been out of management since he called it time on his illustrious 22-year spell at Arsenal in 2018.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Football News, gunners, Football, Paul Merson, Arsene Wenger, Premier League, Arsenal, Roy Keane

Adnan Riaz

Adnan Riaz is a journalist for SPORTbible. He studied for a B.A. in History at the University of York and followed it up with an M.A. in Multimedia Journalism at MMU. Before he started writing about sports, he spent over four years in the gaming press. He has worked for several publications, including Hardcore Gamer, LADbible and the Manchester Evening News. Follow him on Twitter to find out what he is working on next. Got a story tip for Adnan? Email him: [email protected]

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