It is not just the procession of players who have gone there for better money and trophy-winning prospects: Samir Nasri, Gael Clichy, Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Adebayor (ingloriously) and now Bacary Sagna.
There is even an Arsenal influence over the management at City in Brian Marwood and Patrick Vieira. The old jibes about being a feeder club are still raw and relevant.
‘Well, Sagna just left for City, so you can’t say those days are over,’ says Kieran Gibbs when asked if the days of City dominating Arsenal might be past. ‘But you would think from the signings we have made...’
He doesn’t finish the answer but it is put to him that players should believe they can achieve their ambitions at Arsenal. ‘You would hope so,’ says Gibbs.
"We are less vulnerable now, that is for sure," Gunners boss Wenger said.
"In the last two years we bought Ozil and Sanchez - five years ago we would have lost Ozil and Sanchez.
Wenger continued: "I don't think it's bullying - a transfer is an agreement between three parties and they are in a position where they can say no.
MANCHESTER CITY AND FINANCIAL FAIR PLAY
"The players end up at the richest clubs. Man United did that for years - they had superior financial power and they still do."The richest teams are increasingly coming under pressure from UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations, which inhibit a club's ability to spend more than they earn.
Wenger admits those regulations are starting to influence clubs like Man City but also believes there are loopholes to be exploited.
"It looks like they have some restrictions but they have clever people who can think about how to get around them and they do that very well," Wenger said.
"Time will tell. UEFA have to be cautious as well because of television financial power.
"If you kick a club like Paris St Germain out tomorrow, the French television companies will go to UEFA and ask for their money back.
"It's not as easy as it looked at the start."
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