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It seems that Wenger rightly takes no heed to the people who criticise him for "poaching" young players, after all he is braking no law's so why not. It can only be good for the club, and if other managers don't take the same initiative then it will be them who loose out.

His latest acquisition is Moriz Volz, a German who is supposedly full of great potential and is youth team captain. Volz's international coach Bods Stober has called Arsenal's move "an abuse by a professional club", the president of UEFA is so worried about these situations that he has described them as "an unpleasant whiff of child labour" and has called for FIFA to take action.

Mr. Wengers youth policy has already come under the spotlight for the £2 million signing of 15-year-old Jermaine Pennant from Notts County and also enticing Jermain Aladiere (also 15) from the French national academy on a £1.3 Million 7-year deal.

Although Aladiere cannot come until the summer when he is 16 the deal prompted the French sports minister Marie-Georges Buffet to introduce laws to prevent foreign clubs luring away their best talent. Aldiere was not playing for any club when Wenger signe d him.\line \line Volz is going to be the first youth player from Germany ever not to play in the Bundesliga for a Bundesliga club. Despite the complaints the signing has raised Wenger has been very clever and broken no rules, as when a player reaches the age of 16, he can sign for any club as long as his parent's consent. But recently Arsenal have flown in a 13-year-old South African for a weeks trial and fears about trade in children were further heightened by this news.

Stober said of Arsenal's method of signing "They try to grab players younger and younger. Moritz is at an age when he shouldn't been pinning all his hopes on football".

Volz's father fully backs Arsenal moves and says "There is nothing immoral about Arsenal's proposition. Schalke's offer to Moritz was also much higher than you might expect."

Lonnart Johansson, president of UEFA said that the clubs who sign young players have a moral obligation towards them, not just in terms of guaranteeing a full normal education but a full normal life which foot ball can be a stimulating and highly enjoyable spare time activity.

I cannot see the harm of it my self. If these players are naturally talented, and destined to become footballers, why wait until they are older and have an incredible price tag before buy ing them? I do agree that buying very young players, i.e. about 13, and doing so by bribing parents with much money is wrong. But when a boy is 16 he is an adult, he has the right to make his own mind up. No one is forcing these lads into joining. \line \line Weather ethically right or not these signings are good news for Arsenal, and prove that Wenger really is thinking ahead, a sign of a great manager that we know he is.

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