Wenger gets 70m transfer kitty

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been promised an enormous 70 million pound (142m dollars) transfer kitty after Arsenal revealed themselves to be one of Europe's richest clubs.

Figures unveiled on Monday show the Premiership leaders' move to the Emirates Stadium has driven a near 50 percent increase in turnover to more than 200 million pounds for the year ending May 31, 2007.

That sum means they are only edged into second place in the continent's rich list by Real Madrid.

But with operating profit of 51.2m, up 274 percent, the Gunners now have a level of profitability far in excess of Real.

Match-day revenues of 3.1m per game at their new 60,000 home are double those generated at Highbury, and have seen the Gunners leapfrog main domestic rivals Manchester United and Chelsea - whose respective turnover for the same period was 167.8m and 152.8m.