Alex Ferguson may have claimed this week Arsene Wenger "doesn't have the money" but the Arsenal manager has insisted there would be cash available for transfers if he thought his squad needed strengthening.
The Gunners, linked with a move for their former skipper Patrick Vieira on a pay-as-you-play basis, have made only one signing, defender Thomas Vermaelen from Ajax, but have sold both Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor to Manchester City.
Arsenal are €35million up on the deals but have debts to service on the Emirates Stadium, and it was this that prompted Ferguson to speculate it will be Wenger's side who feel the biggest threat from big-spending City.
Emmanuel Eboue could also leave Arsenal, with Fiorentina weighing up a €8.5million bid for the Ivory Coast midfielder.
Wenger, though, is in no rush to spend, and told the club's official website: "I feel we are strong enough but if we can add then we will do it.
"In England people think that all the problems can be sorted out by buying players.
"I believe the biggest target is to work hard in training, improve what we can improve and have confidence in the players that we have.
"If we need to add then we will. We have money available so for us it is now [important] to spend it in the right way when we do it or if we do it."
Ferguson said at the weekend: "The one who has the challenge this season is Arsene. He doesn't have the money, and how he uses the £25million from Adebayor will be very, very interesting."
Arsenal, meanwhile, have refused to comments on the reports about Vieira, who is keen to leave Inter Milan.
But former Gunners striker Ian Wright said on his TalkSport radio show: "I'm hearing Vieira, pay-as-you-play, back at Arsenal. That's what I'm hearing, and that's what I'm hoping."
