Former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira has said he supports manager Arsene Wenger’s stringent transfer policy but said reinforcements might be needed following the club’s lacklustre start to the Premier League season.
Arsenal played out a goalless draw with champions Leicester City on Saturday after losing their opening game 4-3 to Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium earlier this month.
As Arsenal search for their first win of the season, Wenger has come under increasing scrutiny for his lack of investment in the squad.
Wenger has made three additions to his squad during the current transfer window, bringing in midfielder Granit Xhaka, defender Rob Holding and striker Takuma Asano, but only Xhaka, at £30m, is viewed as a key addition to the first team for this season.
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“I quite admire that, in the world where some clubs have so much money, they go and buy players who are £40 million (Dh193m) and are worth £10m,” said Vieira, who captained Wenger’s last title-winning team in 2004.
“But on the other side the team is not doing as good as it used to and you need to win football matches. They’ve been disappointing, losing games they should have won.
“My generation had lots of physically strong players. In this last five or six years, Arsenal went more with this type of mobile, technical players.
“Now when I watch Arsenal, yes they play good football but I just have a feeling they are missing something — the physical presence, the personality, this is what they’re missing.”
Manchester United spent £89m to bring back Paul Pogba from Juventus, and Vieira said he hoped the France midfielder will not crumble under the pressure of the tag of being the world’s most expensive player.
“I think he’s a fantastic player, no doubt about it, but I also believe the Premier League is different, and there will be a lot of pressure on his shoulders because of the price tag and expectation,” New York City FC manager Vieira said.
“He will have to find the right balance because if he thinks he will win games by himself that will be a massive mistake for him, if he tries to do something that he can’t do that will be a massive mistake as well.”
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The specs: 2017 Maserati Quattroporte
Price, base / as tested Dh389,000 / Dh559,000
Engine 3.0L twin-turbo V8
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Power 530hp @ 6,800rpm
Torque 650Nm @ 2,000 rpm
Fuel economy, combined 10.7L / 100km
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group C
Liverpool v Napoli, midnight
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Poacher
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RESULTS
6.30pm: Emirates Holidays Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (Dirt) 1,900m
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Tips for entertaining with ease
· Set the table the night before. It’s a small job but it will make you feel more organised once done.
· As the host, your mood sets the tone. If people arrive to find you red-faced and harried, they’re not going to relax until you do. Take a deep breath and try to exude calm energy.
· Guests tend to turn up thirsty. Fill a big jug with iced water and lemon or lime slices and encourage people to help themselves.
· Have some background music on to help create a bit of ambience and fill any initial lulls in conversations.
· The meal certainly doesn’t need to be ready the moment your guests step through the door, but if there’s a nibble or two that can be passed around it will ward off hunger pangs and buy you a bit more time in the kitchen.
· You absolutely don’t have to make every element of the brunch from scratch. Take inspiration from our ideas for ready-made extras and by all means pick up a store-bought dessert.
The specs: 2018 Peugeot 5008
Price, base / as tested: Dh99,900 / Dh134,900
Engine: 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power: 165hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 240Nm @ 1,400rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.8L / 100km
HWJN
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