WENGER WON'T RUSH NEW SIGNINGS

Arsene Wenger is expected to wait until the final moments before the transfer window slams shut before he belatedly reinforces his depleted midfield.

The need for reinforcements intensified over the weekend when it was confirmed that Abou Diaby - pencilled in to begin the season as Cesc Fabregas' partner - has been ruled out for at least a month with a thigh strain.

Following the exits this year of Lassana Diarra, Gilberto Silva and Mathieu Flamini, Diaby's unavailability leaves Wenger with only Denilson as a viable contender to begin the new campaign alongside Fabregas. The Spaniard will have to play against Twente in a Champions League qualifier on Wednesday night despite his pre-season action being limited to a mere 84 minutes.

Nonetheless, according to The Times, 'Wenger loves a bargain so much that he is willing to wait until the transfer window is about to shut before he signs a replacement'. Last August, he bought Diarra for a knock-down fee of around £2m in the final hour before the window shut.

"We are trying to find the right player," Wenger said. "My target is always to spend the right money on the right player, therefore the timing of your buy is important."

Gokhan Inler, Gareth Barry, Xabi Alonso, Michael Johnson and Yaya Touré have all been mooted as potential targets, but while Arsenal supporters wait for at least one new arrival they might also wonder about the wisdom of Wenger's plan to unite Diaby with Fabregas given the Frenchman's injury history.

The midfielder's latest setback is the fourth separate muscle injury he has suffered this year alone - he was only able to return to training last month from the injury that saw him hobble him off after ten minutes of a behind-closed-doors practice match in April that had been convened to offer him match practice.