ARSENE Wenger and Real Madrid.

A pairing of the two was unimaginable, so contrasting are the philosophies of the manager and club.

So when suggestions arose Wenger may decamp to Real in May, it was met with disbelief, and Wenger explained why the move never happened.

'I refused (Real Madrid) because I have built a young team and I have the feeling that I have not finished my job,' Wenger said.

After failing to lure Wenger to the Bernabeu, Real eventually appointed Manuel Pellegrini and have since spent more than £150 million ($353m) on Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Raul Albiol, with Lyon's Karim Benzema - who had been a target for both Manchester United and Arsenal - soon to join for another £30m.

And Wenger rejects Real's approach of simply spending money - however much - as the way forward, instead comparing his own policy to that of Real's hated rivals Barcelona.

'We have got an 'anti-Real' policy. We build on the long term, a bit like Barcelona,' he said,

'There are two prices today, the price when Real Madrid buy and the market price.

'In the market, £30m for Benzema is a very good price. But is he three times less good than Ronaldo? I don't think so.'

PA Sport