Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has reiterated that he is prepared to splash the cash this month if an "exceptional player" becomes available.

The Gunners spent a club-record fee to bring in Alexandre Lacazette from Lyon in the summer and missed out on the signing of Monaco's Thomas Lemar on deadline day.

A number of players have been linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium in the lead-up to the January transfer window, however, including France international Lemar, and Wenger will look to recruit if the circumstances are right.

"We are open in any position for the exceptional player that can give us a plus," he told reporters. "It depends a bit on the injuries as well, on the other hand it depends who will manage to extend the contracts of the players who are at the end of their contracts in June.

"It will depend on that because we have to take the consequences of these decisions and respond to it."

Asked about the uncertain futures of trio Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Jack Wilshere, each of whom are out of contract in the summer, Wenger added: "We have not been contacted by anybody.

"First of all we have not lost them yet, and secondly we will respond to that by bringing in players of top quality. This club has lost many big players and has always responded well.

"Massive players have left this club and the club will always be in a strong position on that front. But you want to keep your best players, yes."

Arsenal take on Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night without Sead Kolasinac, Aaron Ramsey, Nacho Monreal and Olivier Giroud, while Ozil and Laurent Koscielny face late fitness tests.