Bergkamp: I'd have quit if new deal fell through

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Dennis Bergkamp revealed today that he would have quit football if he had been unable to agree a new deal with Arsenal.

"I would have retired," said the Dutch striker. "It would have been difficult for me to have one more season somewhere else and finish my career with a club I might not know.

"And it would have been a pity to stop because I still have enough in me to have another season. It is a pity that it took so long because me and the boss agreed in January about me staying."

Bergkamp conceded that, at the end of his career, he could not have expected a big offer to stay at Arsenal.

"I didn't think it was important at the stage of my career to have big offers but in the end we are happy with each other and that is the main thing," he said. "Me and the boss were on the same line, and the offer and the money was good."

And Bergkamp feels his career may have a glorious finale as Arsenal pursue the title they surrendered to Manchester United at the end of last season.

"We can get it back," said Bergkamp. "We have the same ambition in this team and we are not afraid of it."

Bergkamp also responded to criticism that Arsenal have not been active enough in the transfer market this summer. With several promising young players coming through he saw little need for change.

"You make signings if you can strengthen the squad, to give some freshness but we have the freshness from the younger players and the new goalkeeper Jens Lehmann," he said.

"We have still got a very good squad with the right ages and the right mixture. There wasn't really the need to buy new players."

 

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