Wenger: Scots aren't good enough

The Gunners boss admits he has dispatched scouts north of the border to run the rule over the SPL talent.

But when he has put the Scotsmen under the microscope, Wenger feels the players would not be suitable for Premiership standard.

Rangers midfielder Barry Ferguson is widely regarded as the best Scottish player of his generation and has been linked with a move to Highbury.

However, it would appear the Scottish international falls short of Wenger's requirements judged by his opinions aired on an STV documentary, Jock Bottom.

"Our scout has come back to us two or three times with interesting players and every time, we have checked and investigated the player, but each time we didn't pursue it," admitted Wenger.

"It always looked to me like they were not good enough, frankly."

Wenger recalls the halcyon days when a chunk of players plying their trade in England's top flight were Scottish.

The Frenchman admits he is baffled by the deterioration in the quality of Scottish footballers.

He added: "It was difficult to understand. When I was a kid, all the big players in England were Scottish and I admired Scotland a lot.

"Today, I look at the state of Scottish football and there are only two big teams, Celtic and Rangers, and they play with 80 percent foreigners.

"That means there's nobody there to play at the top level. They have certainly neglected something in recent years because there is no real talent coming through.

"I like the commitment of the Scottish game. I like their spirit and love of the game and I like to be in Scotland because it's a great experience every time on the human side.

"If their players have the right skill, the right preparation and education when they are young then they will produce great players again."