Nicklas Bendtner's return is why Wenger will wait for Marouane Chamakh

03 February 2010

BLUES-BEATER? Nicklas Bendtner will expect to return at Chelsea on Sunday

ARSENE WENGER has put his faith in Nicklas Bendtner to save Arsenal's season as the striker prepares to return to action in Sunday's crunch clash with Chelsea.

Bendtner has been out of action for three months following a groin operation, but his return to fitness convinced Wenger he did NOT need to buy a new striker in the January transfer window to replace the injured Robin van Persie.

However, Wenger is confident that long-term target Marouane Chamakh will arrive on a free transfer in the summer from French club Bordeaux.

The deadline for signings passed on Monday and while the Gunners' boss again left fans disappointed by not bringing in any new faces, he is relying on 22-year-old Bendtner to deliver the goals to put Arsenal back in the title race.

"It was very difficult to find a player who was good enough to play for Arsenal, can play in the Champions League and at the right price," said Arsenal's manager. "I was looking but I have not found one.

"And the kind of striker people want me to sign - I have him on the training pitch already in Bendtner."

Bendtner looks certain to start at Stamford Bridge on Sunday in a game the Gunners know they cannot afford to lose if they are to remain in contention for the Premier League title, with Liverpool to come at the Emirates next Wednesday.

And the player himself is champing at the bit to start his first game since the north London derby way back on October 31.

"I'm almost back to 100 per cent now and I am going to get better and better all the time," said Bendtner who missed 18 games in his spell on the sidelines.

"It was the longest injury of my career and there are no good times to be had while you are out, all you can do is focus on coming back, and you are not happy until you are playing again.

"We have big games coming up and we want to win them. We have the quality to do that, we have the strength and we have shown a lot of times before what we are capable of."

Eduardo da Silva has been struggling for both form and fitness, while Andrey Arshavin was ineffective as the main striker in Sunday's defeat to Manchester United and is keen to move back to his role on the left side of Arsenal's attacking trio.

They are the only options available to Wenger with Van Persie unlikely to return until May at the earliest following ankle surgery.

But Morocco international Chamakh, 26, looks certain to be added to Arsenal's armoury in the summer, and is free to sign a pre-contract deal with the Gunners despite interest from Liverpool.

Chamakh, who will be out of contract at Bordeaux in June, confirmed this week: "I will not extend it [my stay at Bordeaux}.

"I'll know more this weekend when I've talked to my advisors. I believe things must be said quickly. I believe also that the club must be ready.