Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has suggested that West Ham United have essentially 'won the lottery' by striking a deal to call London's Olympic Stadium their home as of next season.
The Hammers will move out of their much-loved Upton Park ground in May before making the three-mile journey west to the five-year old venue.
Unlike Arsenal, who were made to spend wisely in the transfer market to make ends meet when developing the Emirates Stadium a little over a decade ago, West Ham will instead pay just £15m plus £2.5m in annual rent.
Wenger compares this to landing the jackpot, but rather than feeling bitter about the deal the Frenchman instead congratulated the Olympic Stadium's new tenants on their work.
"I say [to West Ham], 'Well done! You have won in the lottery, and you do not need to sweat like I did for long years, and fight for every pound'," The Mirror quotes him as saying. "I could say that, for me, the first six years were very difficult financially.
"Going into April, thinking if you are not in the Champions League you are in trouble. That has been absolutely super-difficult. So it's very well done, they have made a good deal, they have negotiated very well, it was a fight with Tottenham.
"For me, it is similar to the Man City situation — Man City got a new stadium for £20m, basically. Yes they don't have to go through the pain. They have taken this opportunity and taken it very well."
West Ham and Arsenal face off at Upton Park on Saturday afternoon in what will be their final ever meeting at the historic venue.
Daniel Lewis
