Wenger: Plays down United's Treble prospects

Holland international van Persie on Friday finalised a £24million switch to Old Trafford, said to be worth in excess of £200,000-per-week, having earlier in the summer announced he would not be signing a new deal with the Gunners.

Red Devils boss Ferguson believes his formidable frontline next season will be just like it was when Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer drove them on to domestic success, which was then capped by a remarkable late comeback in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich.

Wenger, though, feels juggling the likes of Mexican Javier Hernandez and England forward Danny Welbeck alongside Van Persie and Wayne Rooney will not be as straight forwards as it sounds.

The Arsenal manager said: "Alex Ferguson is a bit too confident when he says 1999, but of course it increases their potential offensively because they got a world-class players.

"However, they also have a number of players - like Hernandez and Wellbeck - who have a restricted chance to play."

While Arsenal were prepared to make the 29-year-old Dutchman the highest-paid player in the club's history, it was again a case of being unable to match what was on offer elsewhere - with Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri also moving away last summer.

Wenger, however, firmly believes the days of clubs being bankrolled beyond their means are numbered, as UEFA look to implement financial fair play.

"It is a short-term problem, that the world cannot go on like that," said Wenger, who admitted midfielder Alex Song could yet join Barcelona before the end of the transfer window.

"You cannot imagine that the world will go on just splashing money out without any return, people will get tired of that because you will have just a few teams competing with each other.

"When you have lost the standard of living in life for normal people, the football world always gets higher and higher - that cannot last because people will not accept it."

The Arsenal boss added: "Financial Fair Play will make a big difference, how quickly I cannot answer because I am not responsible for putting it in place."

Wenger accepts seeing another marquee player leave Emirates Stadium "is a concern", but admits Arsenal's self-funding model inevitably brings restrictions.

"We live in the economic reality which other clubs do not," he said.

"There are some things we cannot afford to do, it is as simple as that."

The manner of Van Persie's departure did not sit well with many Gunners fans.

Wenger, though, feels on the pitch at least, the Dutchman's commitment cannot be questioned.

He said: "For me, what is most important is, when I am professional I accept the salary and give my best as long as I work at the club, after if he chooses to go somewhere else I can respect that.

"Robin was the captain of the team and until the last minute of the whole season, he did fight like mad.

"It is a miracle we finished third. A big part of the miracle is down to him and you have to give him credit for that."

"At the end he chose to go somewhere else. Okay I don't like it, but he has been professional."

Wenger feels Arsenal must now move on and focus on the challenges ahead of them, with defender Thomas Vermaelen named captain to lead the side for tomorrow's season opener against Sunderland.

England midfielder Jack Wilshere has been handed Van Persie's old number 10 shirt.

Wenger believes it is deserved as the 20-year-old looks to return to full fitness having missed all of last season through injury, but is expected back in action before the end of the year.

"I feel Jack will be one of the leaders of this club and by giving him the number 10, I want to show I am confident he will be the one who will lead the team one day," said Wenger.