Arsene Wenger has given a clear indication that he is planning on staying at Arsenal next season after revealing where his transfer priorities will lie for the summer.

The manager and the Arsenal board are set for a review of Wenger’s performance at the end of the campaign, the first year of a two-season deal.

Wenger has shown no indication that he is prepared to leave the club as he prepares for his 22nd season in charge and appears to have weathered the worst of a storm that may have compelled the board into making a change, a thrilling 3-2 triumph over Southampton taking Arsenal’s win streak to six in a row after losing eight between the turn of the year and March 4.

Indeed the manager appears to have identified where he would want to improve his squad going into the 2018-19 season, with reinforcements in midfield and defence the most likely.

Asked whether he was spoilt for choice in forward areas after squad players Danny Welbeck and Alex Iwobi starred in the Emirates win, Wenger told Standard Sport: “In some aspects of the game there is no need to buy more players at that level, because we have young strikers as well, promising strikers.

“But we’ll see [about] that at the end of the season.”

Wenger’s defence certainly gave the impression it needed improving in an insipid display that made a Southampton frontline averaging less than a goal a game appear to be the most formidable of attacking forces.

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Shane Long pounced on an error by Shkodran Mustafi to bundle home the game’s opener and neither the German nor his centre-back partner Calum Chambers covered themselves in glory when substitute Charlie Austin tapped home from close range to make the score 2-2.

“We have an offensive team,” Wenger said. “That means as well the defenders are not always in the best possible conditions to defend, having to find a better balance in defending.

“I think recently we have done well and I believe on Thursday night [a 4-1 Europa League quarter final first leg win over CSKA Moscow], physically it was at a very, very high level and players like [Hector] Bellerin and Mustafi had heavy legs today.”