Arsene Wenger may be forced to spend more than he would ideally like to this summer but the Arsenal boss has reiterated his faith that players already at the club can plug the gaps in his squad.
The lack of depth in Arsenal's first team squad has been blamed for the club's wilting in the final months of this season as injuries and fatigue took their toll on a group of players that, at one stage, were five points clear at the top of the Premier League.
The departure of Mathieu Flamini for AC Milan and signs that Alexander Hleb also sees his future in Italy have generated fears that Wenger's squad may be disintegrating.
But the Frenchman, who is set to include a number of young prospects in his squad for the final match of the season against Sunderland on Sunday, is adamant that is not about to happen.
Much has been made of the fact that Hleb has the option of buying out of the remainder of his contract under FIFA rules that were upheld by the test case brought by Scotland defender Andy Webster over his move from Hearts to Wigan.
But Wenger warned Hleb he would not simply be able to walk away at a time of his choosing. "This `Webster clause' is not as simple as it looks," he said.
"You can't come in the next day and buy out. There is no rule at all that says what it is about. You have to go to tribunal, to go first to FIFA, and if you don't agree with FIFA you have to go to CAS (the Court of Arbitration for Sport).
"It takes a lot of months. You (the player) can be banned for the whole period if it is not done in a proper way."
Wenger has identified Abou Diaby and Denilson as candidates to step into the midfield role Flamini has vacated, and played down suggestions that Arsenal's wage ceiling will make it hard to attract top quality new recruits.
"There are plenty of players who want to join us, don't worry, we have no problem on that front," he said.
"What is unbelievable is I'm sitting here like we have killed all the players and when I go to my office I have 220 calls from players who want to come in."
Wenger added: "What we need next year is two or three players maybe. We need talent.
"I think a huge player is better than a huge name. You have huge names who produce very little at the moment.
"But don't worry, we will have a team to compete for the championship next year."
Among the youngsters who could be blooded at Sunderland are Kieran Gibbs and Mark Randall, who have returned from loan spells at Norwich and Burnley respectively.
"Now they need now to show they are good enough," he said. "They have, like everybody, to fight to play, and if they are good enough they play. It's as simple as that."
Sunderland boss Roy Keane has also turned his attention to reshaping his squad after a mixed first season back in the Premier League.
Keane is determined to take Sunderland to the next level -- challenging for a place in Europe -- and he admits that he will need to display a Wenger-like touch in the transfer market if that is to happen.
"Arsene Wenger would probably be one of the best known in the world for having the best contacts from the people he has met over the years and the clubs he has worked at.
"You can tell that with the players he has brought in for fairly good prices, and you look at the lads he has sold on.
"That would probably be one of his strengths. It is important for a manager, your recruitment. You will be judged a lot on the players you bring into a club."
Several Sunderland players could be playing for their futures at the club after a feeble display in last weekend's 2-0 defeat at Bolton prompted Keane to promise a huge clearout in the close season.