Wenger: Stokes free to stay at Falkirk

ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger has told teenage striker Anthony Stokes he is free to spend the rest of the season in Scotland.

The 18-year-old has been a big hit north of the border with Scottish Premier League club Falkirk, who are keen to extend his rapidly-expiring loan deal for another six months.

But having scored 13 goals for the Bairns, plenty of other clubs have been alerted to the Irishman’s potential, with Wenger leaving the door open for Charlton to take him back to London.

Wenger said: “It depends on him. I will not force him to come back. I feel he will benefit from having one year in the SPL as a first-team player.

“Then he will be in a strong position to come back and say ‘I want to play here’. I have plenty of players out on loan so let’s show for a year how good you are.”

New Charlton boss Alan Pardew is understood to be an admirer of Stokes, who has also been linked with Celtic and Sunderland.

And Wenger made it clear he would not stand in the player’s way should he be offered a chance of first-team football in the Premiership, which the Frenchman will not yet grant him at the Emirates Stadium.

He said: “I am not against it but it depends on him. I would love for him to play in the Premier League but I have had no request from Charlton.”

Wenger has also stated he has no intention of bringing in new players when the transfer window opens for a month in a few days’ time.