Sol offered new deal

Sol Campbell has opened talks with Arsenal on a new contract that will keep him at Highbury for the rest of his top-flight career.

The 29-year-old England central defender has two-and-a-half years left on the five-year deal that he signed after his controversial free transfer from Tottenham in the summer of 2001.

Now a three-year extension is being offered and that would keep him at Arsenal for another five years.

Wenger said: " It is true that we are talking to Sol about a new contract . Those talks are at a very early stage but I am optimistic. He has been a fantastic signing for us and I hope he will stay even longer than his present deal."

That would also presumably involve a pay increase as well. When joining Arsenal, it was claimed Campbell was on close to £100,000 a week, which was a combination of wages of around £70,000 a week and a larger than normal signing on fee because of the free transfer.

Campbell has said on many occasions since moving to Highbury how he has thrived at Arsenal.

The only winners' medal he had from his decade at Tottenham came in the Worthington Cup in 1999 but since he joined Arsenal he has won the Double in 2002 and also picked up another FA Cup winner's medal last season.

He has fulfilled his wish to play Champions League football and is now one of the first names on England team-sheet.

Campbell has also shown great resolve in the past few weeks in returning to form after his father died following a stroke earlier this season.

That character has helped Wenger earmark him as the cornerstone of the Arsenal defence for several more years and the Frenchman is hoping Campbell will help groom new centre-back partners in Kolo Toure and Philippe Senderos.

Meanwhile, Wenger looks unlikely to make any moves in the transfer window next month, injuries permitting, due to the progress of his teenage stars. Players like Gael Clichy - who was outstanding at Bolton - Jeremie Aliadiere, David Bentley and Francesc Fabrigas have taken the pressure off Wenger.

The Gunners boss explained: "I am happy with the squad that I have got. At the moment I am not in the market at all. We have some great young players coming through - and some that people haven't even seen yet."

Wenger was full of praise for Bolton, who often outplayed Arsenal at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday.

He said: "I know people will talk about us losing points but if Bolton continue to play like they did we will look back on this as a point gained.

"Last season we lost the whole season in one day here. This is not the same."

On Saturday, Arsenal went ahead through Robert Pires on 57 minutes.

Bolton levelled when substitute Henrik Pedersen fired home a late shot, but Arsenal remain unbeaten.