Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has publicly declared that the Gunners are ready to spend big now that financial limitations brought about by the construction of the Emirates stadium have eased, according to Sky Sports.

The last trophy claimed by Wenger dates back to 2005, and in recent years the Frenchman has come under a considerable amount of pressure, mostly from his own supporters. Meanwhile, their last Premier League trophy dates back to the 2003/04 season.

After moving from Highbury to the Emirates in 2006, the investment and consequent move left the Gunners financially restricted from adding big money names to their team because of significant debt re-payments.

Wenger believes that the financial burden has finally eased and he’s now ready to flex Arsenal’s monetary muscles in the transfer market.

"My plan is to keep all of the players we have and then to add maybe, if possible, two new players to the squad," said Wenger.

"Now we have come out in a much stronger position financially again, so we can spend,” he continued.

"We will spend big because we had restricted finances because we had built the stadium and had to pay that back.

"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 financially 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."

Arsenal have been linked with various targets this January, with David Villa and Wilfried Zaha among those linked.

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