Arsene Wenger vows Arsenal will be busy in the transfer market

Manager Arsene Wenger says Arsenal will continue to push all the way for new signings despite a frustrating period so far in the transfer market.

Chief executive Ivan Gazidis may have talked up the club's new "financial firepower" at the end of last season, but so far the only confirmed signing has been France Under-21 striker Yaya Sanogo on a free transfer from Auxerre.

After failing to land Real Madrid's Gonzalo Higuain earlier in the summer, the Gunners have also been foiled in their attempts to sign Liverpool striker Luis Suarez and Bayern Munich's midfielder Luiz Gustavo.

As the clock ticks towards the September 2 deadline, Wenger told Arsenal Player: "We are active. We are in a situation like Manchester United, like Chelsea, where everybody expects signings and at the moment not a lot has happened.

"There are 18 days to go, so that is a long time in the transfer market and we will be active."

"There are 18 days to go, so that is a long time in the transfer market and we will be active. I cannot certify what the number [of players coming in will be], but we will be active until the end, that is for sure."

Gervinho exit

Although Wenger may have so far been frustrated in his plans to add to his squad, at least several fringe players have been taken off the wage bill, with the exits of Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh now confirmed.

Wenger feels Ivory Coast forward Gervinho, who signed for Roma in an £8m deal, had been unable to overcome the negativity from some Arsenal supporters.

"I made that decision because he looked to play with a lack of confidence, especially at the Emirates," Wenger added.

"He is a very creative player, an instinctive dribbler and for that you need a lot of confidence to be completely efficient. I felt that in the last six months it was very difficult for him to express his talent in a confident way.

"Then you sit there and think, 'do I bring him back or does he need a new challenge to get that confidence back?' and I did not want to stop him from getting a new chance."