AMSTERDAM // The Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho was delighted with his side's showing at the preseason Amsterdam Tournament, where they did not concede a goal. Arsenal claimed victory in the four-team competition, but Inter also looked impressive and were boosted by the return of strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Adriano.
"I'm very pleased with what the team did," said Mourinho. "In one week we have played against Bayern Munich [in a friendly before the tournament], Sevilla and Ajax, winning two matches out of three, drawing one and, most importantly, not conceding any goals. The boys did very well." The Serie A champions drew 0-0 with Sevilla and then defeated Ajax 1-0 in Holland to follow on from their earlier 1-0 win over Bayern.
"A good week's work has ended. The whole team was fantastic, both in training, where I saw great enthusiasm, and in the matches," added Mourinho, whose side begin their defence of the Serie A title against Sampdoria on Aug 30. "The boys tried to do exactly what I asked them to. They managed to improve in every game." Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger is refusing to rule out further forays into the transfer market but the Arsenal manager will put all talk of signings on the back burner until after their Champions League qualifier against FC Twente next week.
The Gunners retained the trophy with a 1-1 draw against Sevilla and Wenger's attentions are now clearly on the return to Holland and a showdown with the former England manager Steve McClaren in Arnhem. Arsenal, though, will go into the crunch encounter "one body light" in midfield, but Wenger refused to be drawn on signings - with Udinese's Switzerland international Gokhan Inler a reported £8million (Dh56.4m) target.
Wenger said: "Maybe next week something can happen. I do not rule anybody completely out, so everything is possible." * Agencies