Cash lift for Wenger

Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood today reassured Arsene Wenger that he will be given the money he needs to boost his squad.

Hill-Wood spoke out amid reports that Wenger was knocked back by the Highbury board three times when he asked to sign new players during the January transfer window.

Hill-Wood said: "That is absolute nonsense. Arsene has plenty of money to spend and we offered it to him. But he said he was not going to buy for the sake of it. He would only act if he can find someone to add to the team."

In the aftermath of Arsenal's 4-2 defeat by Manchester United at Highbury on Tuesday night, Thierry Henry criticised the lack of strength in depth at the club, blaming the weakness for the Gunners' surrender of the title.

Arsenal's transfer spending has been restricted by the club's move to their new £357million stadium at Ashburton Grove. While Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has funded more than £ 210million of new signings in pursuit of the Premiership and European Cup since 2003, Arsenal have spent £14m.

But Hill-Wood today dismissed fans' worries that the new ground is holding Arsenal back. "It is important to say that the new stadium finance does not impinge on him at all," he said. "The cash is totally separate and it is not affecting our ability to buy new players at all.