Eyes on the market: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger (Picture: AFP)

Arsene Wenger insists he’s ready to ‘spend big’ on up to two new players as he looks to get Arsenal’s season back on track.

The Gunners were convincingly beaten at home by Manchester City at the weekend, and with a congested fixture list coming up, Wenger is aware his squad needs strengthening if they intend to once again compete for major honours.

‘My plan is to keep all of the players we have and then to add maybe, if possible, two new players to the squad. We will spend big (again) because we had restricted finances because we had built the stadium and had to pay that back,’ Wenger said in an interview with Al Jazeera Sport.



‘You look at any club who has done that, and they have gone down (in performance).


‘We stayed at the top level, yes without winning the Premier League, but we were always at the top level.

‘Now we have come out in a much stronger position financial again, so we can spend.

‘But our way is a bit like Barcelona as well, to produce the core of the team from inside and add from outside the players who give really a plus.’

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The Frenchman also accepted his time will soon “be up” as the club must one day look for new leadership.

‘It is (time up), because I am 63 years old and will not work at 100. That, though, is not the most important, what is important is that when you are somewhere, you give your best,’ saidWenger, whose side host Swansea in their FA Cup third-round replay tomorrow night.

‘How long will I stay? I have a contract until 2014, and I always respected my contracts.

‘It is important is that the club goes the right direction – we have a very young team who have fantastic qualities and [it is important] that I help them to get their qualities transformed into positive results.

‘Let’s not forget that last year we finished third [in the Premier League], as long as that is seen as a disaster, it is not too bad for the future of the club.’

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