Arsenal lost "star" to Real Madrid
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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed that, although the Gunners eventually landed key target Andrei Arshavin during the winter transfer window, they lost one of their most prized assets... their groundsman.
Paul Burgess, an award-winning groundsman at the Emirates Stadium, who has also maintained the club's training pitches at London Colney and at previous ground Highbury, has been allowed to leave the Gunners for Real Madrid, to help improve the La Liga side's playing surface at their Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
“That was the most amazing transfer during the window,” said Wenger.
“What we have to do every night is lock the doors on the press office, the accounts department, everywhere, because otherwise Real Madrid will take everybody."
Burgess has won the Groundsman of the Year gong five times in the Premier League, while he also acted as an advisor to UEFA for last year's European Championships.