Wenger dismisses Jose jibe

ARSENE WENGER has brushed off claims that Jose Mourinho threatened to ‘break his face’.

Mourinho’s outburst was revealed in Jose Mourinho:

Up Close and Personal, by football journalist Rob Beasley, which is being serialised by Sportsmail.

In the book, Beasley claims that during a conversation with Mourinho in 2014, the Special One told him: ‘I will find him (Wenger) one day outside a football pitch and I will break his face.’

Speaking for the first time since the revelations were made public, Wenger insisted he will not read the book.

‘I haven’t read the book and I certainly will not read it, so I cannot comment on that,’ said Wenger, whose side face Mourinho’s former club Chelsea today.

‘I talk about football and that’s all I do. I’m not in a destructive mood. Never.

‘I have no problem with anybody in our game and I don’t feel I comment a lot on other teams. Sometimes maybe I say what I think but that’s part of the way I am.

‘What is amazing is that this has nothing to do with our game and I personally am focused on doing well in my job and respecting everybody else.’

The latest twist in the duo’s relationship will add to the anticipation ahead of their first clash of the season on November 19, when Arsenal travel to Manchester United in the Premier League.

Wenger also revealed he would have made a move for Diego Costa had he believed the Spain striker would leave Atletico Madrid.

Costa joined Chelsea in 2014 and has been a thorn in Arsenal’s side ever since.

‘I never thought he would leave Atletico Madrid at the time,’ said Wenger.

‘Would I have gone harder for him if I knew he would leave Atletico? Yes, I like him as a player. I like the qualities of the player.’