Wenger pledges to make English kids the backbone of his side

The Arsenal boss also revealed that he will use Theo Walcott as an example for the talented teenagers to follow because of the lessons the winger has learned in his rise to fame this season. Walcott struggled to live up to his billing early on but showed his true potential with a hat-trick in England's 4-1 win in Croatia.

Wenger added: "Theo can advise boys like that because I always thought that he had an exceptional level of 'feet on the ground'. He took playing in the first team very well and I am not sure that everybody can do that but Theo can be a good advisor."

The Frenchman insisted, though, that he will still give foreign young talent the opportunity to shine at Emirates Stadium.

Wenger today pointed to the development of Carlos Vela as proof that he did not need to buy any new strikers this summer even though the Mexican has made a truncated journey into the first team.

Since moving from Chivas de Guadalajara for £2.5million in 2005, the 19-year-old has had loan spells at Osasuna, Salamanca and Celta Vigo while awaiting a work permit to play in England. Now finally eligible for British football, Vela has made his Premier League, Champions League and Carling Cup debuts in the last month, marking the latter with a stunning hat-trick on Wednesday.

In his brief Arsenal career to date, Vela has shown a tremendous awareness of what is around him and his seamless link play suggests he communicates with his team-mates on an almost ethereal level.

Sadly, that isn't the case off the pitch - yet. The Cancun-born forward is embarking upon the latest leg of his career by himself. Without parents or friends to guide, London can be an intimidating place, even with the backing of a club like Arsenal.

"It's just me," he told this month's edition of Arsenal Magazine. "But a friend of mine from Mexico is coming over to see me next month.

"My parents are visiting soon too, so I'm not without visitors. My brother Alejandro is currently playing for Cruz Azul in Mexico."

Learning the language is going to be a must for Vela judging by one situation he got into recently. He added: "When you have the native language you can solve any situation you come across. I was lost for three hours in central London at one point and just had to hail a taxi to take me home in the end.

"I'm taking English lessons, it will be important for both my professional and personal lives."