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Wenger ready to spend at Arsenal

Arsene Wenger has admitted that his current defenders do not attack the ball sufficiently in set-piece situations © Getty Images

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is ready to bring in reinforcements in the summer after his team's hopes of landing the Premier League title were dashed following a 2-1 defeat to Bolton at the weekend.

The Gunners are now nine points behind leaders Manchester United with four games left to play and Wenger admitted that winning the championship "is very unlikely now".

Wenger, who has been criticised for sticking rigidly to a youth development policy that has failed to deliver a trophy for six seasons, will add to his squad "where it needs" to be strengthened and will also attempt to sign Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy to long-term contracts.

However, the Frenchman said that he would not abandon his principles and spend a reported transfer budget of £40 million on marquee signings, but will instead look to add a few experienced players in the summer.

"We have the quality, that is for sure," Wenger said. "We have to strengthen the squad where it needs and make the right decision on that front. It [transfers] is always in my mind every day.

"If someone can convince me that the principles are wrong I am ready to change, but I feel we try to play football the proper way. When you don't win you question your principles, but you have to give yourself the right distance to see what is right and wrong in what you do. I think if something is wrong in our team, it is not the principles in playing our football."

Wenger's plan to fine-tune his existing team could be made significantly more difficult if any of his star players decide to quit Emirates Stadium in the hope of finding success elsewhere.

"We are talking to Nasri and his agent already and we have the same situation with Clichy," Wenger said. "We have agreed to speak about it [contracts] during the summer. The players have the opportunity here to do it in their own way, with their own philosophy, with their own togetherness.

"When you sign a contract for four or five years, you are committed through your contract to win trophies with the club where you sign. It is in no contract that if you do not win a trophy the first year, you can leave."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.