LONDON — Arsène Wenger turns 66 this week, and there are those who wish him retired.
His crimes are that he is old, hopelessly idealistic and too reluctant to spend too much of the $300 million that he has helped Arsenal build up in the bank.
Wenger’s team is second in the English Premier League, and in the Champions League on Tuesday, Arsenal won, 2-0, to became the first club this season to beat — or even to take a point from — Bayern Munich.
A week ago, Wenger was confronted at Arsenal’s annual shareholders’ meeting about his stinginess after signing only one new player, a goalkeeper, this season.