Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, has no intention of letting Theo Walcott or any other of the club’s youngsters, out on loan.

Arsenal - who host Newcastle United in the fourth round of the FA Cup tomorrow - are still smarting from the midweek mauling at Tottenham Hotspur, with another sub-par Walcott performance in the Carling Cup semi-final leading to speculation he could be sent out on loan to gain more first-team experience.

Wenger accepts his England Under-21 international, who turns 19 in March, has not developed as quickly as was expected after two years with Arsenal - but maintains “he will get there”.

There have been suggestions that Wenger could now be ready to let Walcott, who has battled back to match fitness following a shoulder problem, spend some time away from Emirates Stadium, with Liverpool and Stoke City, the ambitious Coca-Cola Championship side, both said to be keen to secure his services.

However, Wenger maintains he needs all of his squad as they enter a crucial phase of the season - especially given Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue and Alex Song are all away at the African Cup of Nations while striker Robin van Persie remains sidelined.

“No, because we are very short,” said Wenger when asked whether anyone would now be allowed to go on loan following the Carling Cup exit.

“We have 17 players at the moment, and you could see with the players who were on the bench at Tottenham that they should not have been on the bench there.”