Wenger admits that Arsenal have to keep selling

"The strategy of the club is to sell every year and to buy less expensive players," he told the News of the World.

Manager Arsene Wenger has admitted that Arsenal intend to continue selling their prized assets for the next 17 years.

The Gunners sold Thierry Henry to Barcelona for over £16million last summer and re-invested £7.5m of that money on Croatia striker Eduardo.

This summer, Emmanuel Adebayor and Alexander Hleb have been linked with big-money moves away from the Emirates Stadium.

And Wenger has revealed Arsenal must continue to make a profit in the transfer market in order to cover the costs of their new stadium.

"We manage at Arsenal to maintain all our football ambitions - national and European - while having to free up - for 17 more years - an annual surplus of £24m to pay for our stadium.

"The club's strategy is to favour the policy of youngsters ahead of stars and to count on the collective quality of our game."

Adebayor signed a new long-term deal with Arsenal last summer but is looking for a significant wage increase to stay at the club.

Barcelona have already bid £24m for the Togo international, who cost the Gunners in the region of £3m from Monaco in January 2006, while Milan are also interested in the 24-year-old striker.

Wenger also voiced his frustration at the current state of the transfer system, which he feels encourages in-form players to seek more lucrative deals elsewhere rather than honour their existing contract.

"If I had the power to change anything basic in football, it would be the transfer system which makes mercenaries of players," he added.

"If they are bad ones, they stay and, if they are good, they think only of leaving.

"I have fought for them to earn a very good living, but I impose respect for their contract upon them."