Wenger still interested in Tresor Mputu

By 1970’s Gooner

It seems that Arsene Wenger never gives up on a prospective player until he is absolutely sure whether he is capable of making it at Arsenal.

As you may recall we first reported on this site Arsene’s interest for Congo’s goal sensation Tresor Mputu.

Wenger had invited last December Mputu’s club TP Mazembe for a series of friendly games at London Colney.

Unfortunately during the game Mputu aggravated an old injury and had to come off pretty early in the first half giving Wenger no real chance to observe him at close quarters.

Mputu thought his chance had gone, but apparently not so.

Wenger had one of his most trusted scouts watching Mputu as recently as last Sunday 23rd March during his club’s Champions League game against FC 105 of Gabon which ended in a draw 1-1.

One reason for Wenger’s insistence on still following Mputu is that he has been recommended by his long time friend, Ronald Scheubel whose judgement about potential talent is highly thought of by the Arsenal manager.

When Scheubel recommended Wenger look at a young Ivorian, Wenger listened. He needed little convincing to give Kolo Toure his chance and a transfer fee of around £150,000was soon paid to his club, ASEC Mimosas. The rest is history.

Scheubel had been at London Colney during TP Mazembe’s visit there in December to watch the friendly against Arsenal. He is pictured here with Mazembe’s Financial director Salomon Idi.


It was of course Scheubel that was at the game in Lubumbashi last Sunday to watch Mputu and according to Radio Okapi he was impressed by Mputu’s performance and will compile a favourable report to Arsene Wenger.

But he was not alone in watching Mputu. There were also representatives from three other European clubs there:

Seville from Spain, Standard Liege of Belgium, who have a long standing interest in the player a lot before Arsene Wenger got interested and also Olympiakos Piraeus of Greece.