If Milan scoured the world and wanted Senderos it's obvious there's a lack of top-class centre backs around - Arsenal boss Wenger defends his lack of defensive buys

By JAMES OLLEY Updated: 06:18 EDT, 24 October 2008

Arsene Wenger revealed Arsenal did not sign another centre back this summer because of a lack of top quality available defenders in world football.

The Gunners boss claims the club's scouts scoured the world without success to find a suitable target to add to the acquisition of Mikael Silvestre on a free transfer from Manchester United.

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Dearth of talent: Milan made a loan bid for Phillipe Senderos (above) as they searched for a top centre back

Wenger believes that struggle has been mirrored in a lot of clubs across Europe and cited AC Milan's summer loan move for Gunners defender Philippe Senderos as an example of the current situation. 

When asked why the Gunners did not sign another centre back, the Frenchman replied: We did not find anybody despite our scouting network and because we have internal solutions.

'AC Milan want to take Philippe Senderos on loan and they scouted the whole world as well and that's why football is not just like going to the supermarket.

'You can't go in and say "I want one player who is 6ft 5in with a good left foot and I want him to be delivered". At the moment it is a world market, where players are not as much available.'

Wenger, who 'is not ruling anything out' in the January transfer window, defended his focus on developing young players amid some consternation among shareholders anxious to see the club win the Premier League for the first time in four years. 

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Summer departures: Flamini and Hleb

After Mathieu Flamini and Alex Hleb left the club in the summer, there is concern in certain quarters that Arsenal will act as a finishing school for players who move on to play the prime years of their career elsewhere.

But Wenger said: 'It is reassuring for people to get a [big] name in so they feel strong. But if you have young players and every time they are ready to play you put a guy who is 27 or 28 in front of them, you never get them out.

'We want to get them to love the club. We will not always be successful because we lose some but I am confident we will keep 90 per cent of the players for eight or nine years, get the continuity and win trophies.

'On the other hand, I would like to show you some players of letters who left us and how much they would like to come back.

'That is always very impressive to see. That is why I think we have enough strengths to keep them together.'