Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted that his squad is light on numbers a week before the Premier League gets underway.
The Gunners have added just one player this summer, with French striker Yaya Sanogo arriving on a free transfer.
A whole host of fringe players including Gervinho, Marouane Chamakh, Andre Santos and Johan Djourou have been allowed to leave the club, with Wenger actively chasing transfer targets including a much publicised pursuit of Luis Suarez.
Wenger has conceded that he currently lacks the numbers to complete a successful season, with just over three weeks until the transfer window closes.
Speaking after Arsenal secured a 3-1 success over Manchester City in Helsinki today, the Frenchman told reporters: "I think what is important is the strength of the squad. Today is one game. We want to play 55 games and we are maybe a bit thin squad-wise to go through a whole season.
"I'm an optimist. That's why I do this job. Overall I think we finished the season well. In the last 10 games We had eight wins and two draws and we kept the squad together for the first time [for a number of years].
"We didn't lose any regular players so that makes me very positive for the new season."
Arsenal begin their 2013-14 Premier League campaign with a match against Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium, before facing Fenerbahce in a Champions League qualifier four days later.
Liam Power
