Arsène Wenger will stick to his principles and resist the temptation to make wholesale changes to his squad this summer. The Arsenal manager is adamant that his young players have the talent and the temperament to win leading trophies and will give many of them the chance to do so next season.

Wenger will move to strengthen his squad this summer, but without pandering to the clamour for extravagant spending on big-name signings. Arsenal's board is willing to give him a £35 million transfer budget, but he is likely to focus his efforts on securing the best of the upcoming generation, with Hatem Ben Arfa, the 20-year-old Lyons winger, a top target. Wenger is also planning to give greater opportunities to young players already at the club, with Carlos Vela, the 19-year-old Mexican striker expected to be recalled from his loan spell at Osasuna and Fran Merida, the 18-year-old Spanish midfield player, who has been touted as the new Cesc Fàbregas, ready to step up from the reserves.

Wenger's stubbornness may be a source of frustration to some Arsenal fans, but he remains adored by the majority as well as retaining the backing of the board. The Frenchman has accepted the need to sign an experienced defender and there will also be significant departures, with Gilberto Silva and Jens Lehmann expected to leave.

Lehmann made as much clear yesterday with an outspoken attack on Wenger, who has picked him for only four Premier League matches this season, as well as mocking the ability of his replacement, Manuel Almunia. “I stayed here to win the Champions League and I saw good chances to play, but I have not had these chances and that makes me very angry,” Lehmann said. “For me, personally, it is a tragedy, particularly since I did not have a chance to prevent it.

“To be sitting on the bench behind somebody who only started to play when he was 30 is not funny. I am very angry. If the coach had spoken to me before the start of the season, then I would have been able to decide if I wanted to sit on the bench.”