Wenger - Players can prove to me that they are winners

Arsène Wenger has challenged his players to stick together and make up for this season's disappointments by eclipsing their rivals next year.

Mathieu Flamini has agreed a move away from Emirates Stadium this summer but Wenger expects a different approach from the rest of his squad as he begins to plot next season's assault on the major trophies.

During a Q&A with Arsenal's shareholders at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, Wenger spoke passionately about his hopes for next season. The Frenchman wants his players to prove that they are 'winners' by coming back stronger than ever.

"We were close this year but we did not win and what I expect from my team is that, if you are a winner, you say 'let's come back next year and win'," said Wenger. "If our players are not capable of doing that and just want to walk out for bigger contracts, for me that would be the biggest disappointment.

"If you are a winner you say 'you beat me now in a game but give me a chance to come back and beat you'. That's what I expect of a team. If they cannot do that then it means I was wrong completely in my whole judgement of this team.

"That would be the biggest disappointment for the Club - not only to not win this year but to not be capable of coming back together."

Flamini's decision to join AC Milan was out of Wenger's hands because the 24-year-old was out of contract. The Arsenal manager accepted that the Serie A club's financial offer tempted Flamini away but he is confident that the French midfielder's former team-mates will not follow suit.

"It is a problem [the salaries on offer] but we did not master this situation [with Flamini] because when a player is out of contract he can sign where he wants," said Wenger. "I must say I am disappointed that he did that but legally he can do it.

"But I hope that 95 per cent of the team, the core of the team, says 'come on, we have only just lost'. And it is 'just' because we were leading at Manchester United, we were leading at Chelsea and we were leading at Liverpool in the Champions League, and every time we just lost a little bit of focus and lost the game.

"Let's come back and show we are winners. That is the real target of the team."