Wenger issues transfers warning

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has defended the pursuit of the world's best young talent by the Premier League's top clubs - and declared a ban on the transfer of under 18s would be very damaging for the game.

Chelsea have been barred by FIFA from making any new signings for two transfer windows after being found guilty of inducing Gael Kakuta to breach his contract with Lens in 2007, when the winger was 16, while Manchester City and Manchester United have both been the subject of complaints from Rennes and Le Havre respectively.

"Look at the alternative," said Wenger. "If you ban players from moving before the age of 18, you know what will happen? The player will be sold anyway. To whom? To agents. At what age? At 13, 14. Where will they go? Not to top-level clubs with top-level education."

He added: "They will go to clubs who have been bought by business people, of a very low level, and will stay there until the age of 18 waiting to be sold. The money will go out of the game.

"You have always to look if you make one decision, what kind of alternative? If your players cannot move to the best clubs, I believe they will not improve. At the end of the day, to be a top-level player is to be with the best.

"You can speak about the compensation level, is it right or not. I am open to that.

"I am against the process of stopping the players moving to the top level.

"If you have a child who is a good musician, what is your first reaction? It is to put them into a good music school, not in an average one, so why should that not happen in football?"

"If a player goes to Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, it is all clean and he gets a good education. That is why I am very sharp on cases like that. We have to respect the rules that are in place."