Arsene Wenger has called Paul Pogba's expected £100 million transfer to Manchester United "completely crazy."
Pogba is on the verge of a record-breaking move from Juventus to United in a deal that will reach more than £100m when agents fees are included.
When asked about the cost for the France midfielder, Wenger said: "It is completely crazy if you cannot afford to pay it. If you can afford to pay it you can justify it.
"It is completely crazy if you compare it to normal life. That is for sure. But we live in a world where every activity that is worldwide makes a lot of money.
"Football has become a worldwide competition and that is why clubs can afford to do it. Does it make sense in the way the player can give you that investment back? Nobody ever could calculate.
"Since I am in this sport I always thought the record cannot go higher and I was always wrong. Maybe in a few years it will be 200, 300 [million], who knows."
Wenger was speaking at a news conference ahead of Sunday's preseason game against Mexican club Chivas in Los Angeles. The Frenchman, who has only made one major signing so far this summer in Granit Xhaka, reiterated that he still wants to bring in both a forward and a centre-back, but said it's difficult to find good players on the market.
"I buy players that I feel can strengthen our team. Today you have to be very strong inside the club when you are responsible, not just to buy [for the sake of buying]," he said.
"There's always a wave of opinions. I must say people are better informed today -- they know all the players. They tell you always that you should buy but when you ask them who to buy, they become much shorter.
"If you look at the market in Europe, there's a lot of money available but not many players who really strengthen the teams. If you look at the teams that spend the most money in Europe, they're not necessarily the teams that won the championships. The global investment of the clubs around us didn't stop Leicester winning the championship."
The Gunners need to bring in a replacement for central defender Per Mertesacker, who needed knee surgery last weekend, with Wenger ruling the German out until 2017.
"Certainly I don't count that Per will be back before the end of the year. I will miss him deeply. He is a leader on the pitch and off. We [have lost] a heavyweight in our dressing room," Wenger said.
When asked if he expects to find a new centre-back on the market, the Arsenal boss said: "I do."
Wenger again declined to comment on specific transfer targets, with Arsenal having been repeatedly linked with players like Leicester's Riyad Mahrez and Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette.
"The best way to conclude transfers is not to talk about them, which is very difficult in the press conference," he said. "We are on the market but I don't want to talk specifically about any player because that makes it more difficult for me -- and it's difficult enough.