Wenger: No fight with Chelsea over ‘perfect’ Cech

Arsene Wenger has hailed Petr Cech as the “perfect” goalkeeper for Arsenal and says there was “no fight” with Chelsea over his £10 million transfer from Stamford Bridge.

Cech, 33, lost his No.1 role at Chelsea to Thibaut Courtois last season and moved to the Premier League champions’ rivals Arsenal despite the protests of Jose Mourinho.

Wenger believes that Cech has already become a leader for the Gunners and is delighted to have snapped up the Champions League winner from their neighbours with minimum fuss.

“I met Petr and he told me he could be available for that money and I said: ‘For that money, I’ll do it, so you do the job,’ he told reporters. "I had no fight with Chelsea, honestly.

“He had an agreement with his chairman that he could go for a certain price anywhere. We managed to get him here and we are happy with it.

“He has given us all his experience and his leadership because he is a leader on the pitch.

“He talks, is brilliant intellectually, he can analyse and is highly focused. He is the perfect goalkeeper.”

The Gunners are level on 25 points with league leaders Manchester City after 11 games ahead of Sunday's North London derby with Tottenham at the Emirates Stadium.