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'Only Messi and Ronaldo are out of reach'

Lionel Messi may be out of Arsenal's reach but Cesc Fabregas could come to the fore in their transfer targets © Getty Images

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger could break the club's transfer record again this summer, according to club director Lord Harris of Peckham.

The Frenchman spent a club-record £42.5 million on Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid last summer, with Wenger having previously been reluctant to spend big in the transfer window.

However, after finishing fourth in the Premier League and lifting their first trophy since 2005, Wenger is under pressure to again strengthen his squad this summer, amid reports of a return for midfielder Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona and talks with QPR's Loic Remy.

Harris told The Times: "We want to win the Premier League and the Champions League. If we buy two or three players then I think we can.

"We want to win. We don't want to be second, we don't want to be third and we don't want to be fourth. We will support Arsene with the players he wants to buy. He has always been encouraged to spend."

Asked if Arsenal could exceed the fee spent on Ozil, Harris said: "We would. It would be easy. "I wouldn't say it [the total transfer budget] is £100m, I wouldn't say it's £50m and I wouldn't say it's £150m.

"If Arsene has asked for any player then we have always backed him to go and buy. With the exception of [Lionel] Messi, [Cristiano] Ronaldo or [Gareth] Bale, we could buy most players."

Wenger has yet to officially agree a new contract at Emirates Stadium, with his current terms due to expire this summer, but Harris is already looking beyond the deal the Frenchman is expected to sign shortly.

Harris added: "He gave us his word back in the autumn, just after the season started, and it was just a case of sorting it out.

"If he wins the league and the cup and the Champions League in the next three years, then I am sure he will stay [on after that]."

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