Wenger will continue to keep faith with youth

ARSENE WENGER looks set to place his faith in youth again next season.

The Arsenal manager issued a statement earlier this week declaring impressive teenager Cesc Fabregas was not for sale — and the agent of Theo Walcott has stressed there are no plans to farm the England World Cup squad member out on loan.

Although Walcott, 17, did not feature for the national team in Germany, the experience of training with the likes of David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney will have been invaluable.

Wenger hinted at the end of the last campaign he could have given the former Southampton trainee a run-out — only to decide against it as the Gunners closed in on both fourth place in the Premiership and the Champions League final.

With the Arsenal manager understood to be tracking West Brom defender Curtis Davies, it had been suggested Walcott would move to the midlands for the season as a makeweight in any deal. That, however, has been rejected out of hand by Walcott’s agent, with the youngster keen to continue learning his trade alongside Arsenal captain Thierry Henry as the club prepare for the move to their new home at the 60,000-seater Emirates Stadium.

Meanwhile, the rapid development of Fabregas over the past two seasons has seen him linked with a big-money move away from north London.

Real Madrid’s new president Ramon Calderon has already declared his interest in taking the midfielder to the Bernabeu — a notion swiftly rejected by Wenger, who sees the 19-year-old as “a major part of our plans for many years to come”.

The Gunners already have one of their most coveted assets tied up on a long-term deal, and Fabregas certainly has, according to his agent, no intentions of leaving just yet.

“Cesc is very grateful to Mr Wenger, Mr David Dein and the supporters of Arsenal. He just prefers playing at Arsenal next season — and I think a lot of seasons in London,” said Joseba Diaz.

Arsenal have also been strongly linked with Argentina striker Javier Saviola, 24, and 23-year-old Marseille winger Franck Ribery.

Today, Wenger will start his pre-season preparations with a friendly at Barnet.

It will, however, not be a full-strength squad. Among the 19-man party, striker Jeremie Aliadiere, 23, and defender Justin Hoyte, 21, are included after they returned from loan spells last season.

Arsenal and England full-back Ashley Cole, 25, is getting married to singer Cheryl Tweedy today, so many of the first-team players will be in attendance.

Many of the Gunners squad have been given extra time off following the World Cup. Wenger noted: “Basically it will be the strongest squad I can name from the players who were not involved in the World Cup.”

The Arsenal boss, however, insisted he would not be taking the match lightly.

Nicklas Bendtner and Arturo Lupoli have been prolific for the reserves — who play league games at Barnet’s ground — and are included, while first-team regular

Alexander Hleb is also expected to play.