Unai Emery has been reassured by the Arsenal board that he will have money to spend on new players next summer, after enduring a frustrating January transfer window in which the club have so far failed to sign any new players.

As usual, Arsenal have been linked with a number of players this window. The club have been negotiating with Barcelona over Denis Suárez since the beginning of January, while Ivan Perisic has handed in a transfer request at Inter Milan after Arsenal had a loan offer rejected.

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Christopher Nkunku — who has previously worked with Emery — is also highly admired at Arsenal and could yet join the club on loan.

However, the club’s attempts to recruit new players this month has been severely hampered by their lack of funds. Arsenal’s finances continue to be squeezed by their huge wage bill, as well as the significant amount of money invested over the past two seasons. That has led to a tightening of the pursestrings this winter — something Emery has insisted is only a temporary measure.

“When we have the possibility to buy different players with big quality to help us with their performance, we can do that. At the moment though the club is telling me this is not a good moment to buy new players,” Emery said ahead of today’s match against Cardiff.

Arsenal vs Manchester United player ratings Show all 22 1 /22 Arsenal vs Manchester United player ratings Arsenal vs Manchester United player ratings PETR CECH: 6 out of 10 One of his quietest games in an Arsenal shirt, but when called upon he was up to the challenge. Never was this more the case than when he blocked a Martial strike from close range with his feet. 2015 Getty Images Arsenal vs Manchester United player ratings HECTOR BELLERIN: 7 out of 10 Relished the opportunity to pit himself against an out of position Young, powering forward at every opportunity to add another body to the attacking thrust. 2015 Getty Images Arsenal vs Manchester United player ratings PER MERTESACKER: 6 out of 10 Bar more than one brain freeze this was a very impressive display from the captain, who calmly moved the ball forward. He dealt well with crosses into the area but at times was guilty of overconfident dawdling in his own half. 2015 Getty Images Arsenal vs Manchester United player ratings GABRIEL: 7 out of 10 Gabriel provided further evidence that Wenger has three very capable defenders in his squad, and three who compliment each other well. This was a tough-tackling display from the Brazilian, never giving Martial or Rooney a moment to settle. 2015 Getty Images Arsenal vs Manchester United player ratings NACHO MONREAL: 7 out of 10 As reliable a performance as any on the Arsenal pitch, he won’t get the plaudits but not once did Monreal put a foot wrong. Or indeed a head as he dealt well with United’s aerial barrages. That allowed Alexis to unleash his gung-ho best with utter confidence. Arsenal vs Manchester United player ratings SANTI CAZORLA: 7 out of 10 A brilliant opening 45 minutes saw him at the heart of Arsenal’s powerful running, finding his teammates with space ahead of them and tackling excellently. His two-footedness was vital in crafting Arsenal’s opportunities; United’s defenders had no idea where the ball was heading next. 2015 Getty Images Arsenal vs Manchester United player ratings FRANCIS COQUELIN: 8 out of 10 Blew away any doubts of lingering injuries with an imposing display that saw him grab the midfield warzone and turn it into a rout. He slid in often, but he was always in control and invariably knew what he was doing. After his performances against City and United last season this is further proof he is a big game player. 2015 Getty Images Arsenal vs Manchester United player ratings AARON RAMSEY: 7 out of 10 That this was his best performance this season says more for his slow start, but as he came further infield in deep positions he seemed far more capable. He still needs to rediscover his composure in front of goal, but he was a valuable component in an excellent performance. 2015 Getty Images Arsenal vs Manchester United player ratings MESUT OZIL: 8 out of 10 A wonderful evisceration of United’s one-pace defence in the opening 10 minutes left his supporters in dreamland. And he kept it up. His ability to find space left the static United midfield dumbfounded, and he then provided excellent passes to his colleagues. 2015 The Arsenal Football Club Plc Arsenal vs Manchester United player ratings ALEXIS SANCHEZ: 9 out of 10 A special player indeed who thoroughly deserved each of his goals. The confidence with which he ran at Darmian and Smalling was a sight to behold, and it never seemed to stop. On this sort of form, six goals in eight games, is there a better player in the league? 2015 The Arsenal Football Club Plc Arsenal vs Manchester United player ratings THEO WALCOTT: 7 out of 10 May not have got the goal his play thoroughly deserved but his pace and direct running caused Blind and Smalling no little headache. Increasingly impressive is his ability with his back to goal, a part of his game that is clearly improving. A well-crafted assist for Ozil’s goal capped a good game indeed. 2015 Getty Images Arsenal vs Manchester United player ratings DAVID DE GEA: 5 out of 10 Could do little about Arsenal’s first-half treble, having to sit back and watch his defence collapse before his very eyes. However he could have been more convincing on crosses considering the undersized Arsenal attack. 2015 The Arsenal Football Club Plc Arsenal vs Manchester United player ratings ASHLEY YOUNG: 5 out of 10 Was left looking the naïve one by the direct running of Bellerin, though he would have doubtless appreciated some support from Memphis, and he struggled as much on the ball as off it. Bar one occasion when he shot from 25 yards out he offered nothing going forward. Getty Images Arsenal vs Manchester United player ratings CHRIS SMALLING: 5 out of 10 As his colleagues collapsed around him he gave it his best shot to hold it all together, but it was just too much for a defender who gave the ball away much too often. 2015 Getty Images Arsenal vs Manchester United player ratings DALEY BLIND: 5 out of 10 Walcott exposed his limitations as a centre-back. Stepping forward to intercept he looks composed but when players try to get behind him he does not know what to do. 2015 Getty Images Arsenal vs Manchester United player ratings MATTEO DARMIAN: 4 out of 10 Was eviscerated by Sanchez, who took the ball past his opponent at will. When a defender considers his best option to be dragging his opponent to the floor, as Darmian did more than once, it’s clear something has gone badly wrong. It was little surprise that Van Gaal withdrew him at half time. 2015 Manchester United FC Arsenal vs Manchester United player ratings MICHAEL CARRICK: 4 out of 10 Whether it was Carrick or Schweinsteiger that shiuld have missed out the decision not to play Schneiderlin was bizarre. He was simply overrun by players much quicker than him, though he was too nervy in possession as well. 2015 Manchester United FC Arsenal vs Manchester United player ratings BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER: 4 out of 10 His eagerness to press Coquelin and Cazorla left his defence with no shield, and the midfielder could scarcely lay a glove on either. Offered no protection whatsoever from the fast running Arsenal, too often arriving just in time to watch Arsenal go close or score. 2015 Getty Images Arsenal vs Manchester United player ratings JUAN MATA: 5 out of 10 An anonymous display from a player capable of far, far better. Monreal could take the ball from the attacker at will, who on no occasion threatened to burst into life. More than once he gave the ball away under no pressure. 2015 Getty Images Arsenal vs Manchester United player ratings WAYNE ROONEY: 5 out of 10 He usually relishes the opportunity to take on Arsenal, and he rarely shied away from the limelight. But this was one of those Rooney games where he runs around a lot, desperately trying to influence the game and ending up helping no-one. 2015 Getty Images Arsenal vs Manchester United player ratings MEMPHIS DEPAY: 5 out of 10 Full of willingness in attack, he dropped deep and infield to try something, anything to drag United back into the contest. But then it was little wonder that Young found himself with no protection as Arsenal streamed forward, meaning he was a likely candidate for an early bath. 2015 Getty Images Arsenal vs Manchester United player ratings ANTHONY MARTIAL: 7 out of 10 When something good happened for United you could be certain that the 19-year-old was involved. His raw pace gave Mertesacker in particular problems, and he showed outstanding technical skills to turn and volley and draw a great save out of Cech. 2015 Manchester United FC

“But the club say to me in the summer it is going to be different. And we are going to have chances to take and spend money to buy players.

“I know because I’ve spoken with the club, now the transfer market is difficult but we can take different chances in the summer.”

Arsenal’s squad certainly needs investment. Emery has struggled to find a starting role for the club’s highest earner, Mesut Ozil, while Aaron Ramsey will depart for Juventus on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Their defence is also in need of an overhaul. Club captain Laurent Koscielny is 33 and has endured an injury-plagued campaign, while there are serious question marks over Shkodran Mustafi, who has never looked particularly impressive in the Premier League despite his £35m price tag.

Petr Cech is set to retire at the end of the current campaign which means a new goalkeeper will need to be signed, and there have been no assurances over the future of Danny Welbeck — ruled out for the rest of the season with a broken ankle — who will be allowed to leave for nothing in the summer.

The club is also in the midst of an injury crisis, with six first-team players ruled out of tonight’s match against Cardiff, although Emery is confident his side can achieve their ambition of finishing in the top four given the difficulty of the window for their direct rivals.

Arsenal will need a new goalkeeper when Cech retires in the summer (Getty)

“If we look at the other teams in this transfer market, it is very difficult for them,” he added. “Only Chelsea have signed somebody, with [Gonzalo] Higuaín changing with [Álvaro] Morata. The other teams? Not Liverpool, not Manchester City, not Manchester United. And we are also in the same situation in that it is difficult to find one different and better player in this transfer window.

“I am happy with my players. The easiest thing for me is to ask for more players but I love to work with my players. My challenge is to improve them individually, collectively, offensively, defensively.

“But also we are doing good things, improving. And in the Premier League we are pushing to be in the top four. I know that at the moment Manchester United are improving a lot in the last matches, but we are with them. There are three points between Chelsea and us and my idea is to take opportunities to close the gap with the possibility of being in the top four.”