Wenger frustrated with Chelsea

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is becoming increasingly frustrated at having to play second fiddle to Premier League champions Chelsea in the transfer market.

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"There is a price for Chelsea and there is a price for everybody else. You have to wait for them... It's frustrating but it's a fact."

While Arsenal have signed Belarus midfielder Alexander Hleb from Stuttgart and Chelsea have just missed out signing Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, Wenger is surprised by a general lack of activity in the transfer market.

"It's been very quiet," he said. "The market has been much quieter than expected. It hasn't really started."

Linked with Manchester City attacking midfielder Shaun Wright-Phillips and Sevilla's highly-rated striker Julio Baptista, Wenger believes all that will soon change.

"Everyone is in the starting blocks... and with the heat of my phone it looks like it will start soon."

Looking ahead to next season, a defiant Wenger clearly expects his men to make light of Chelsea's financial muscle after finishing as runners-up last term.

"We are behind (in the transfer market) but no matter who Chelsea will buy, no matter who everybody else buys, it is down to us to come back strong and fight for the championship," he said.