Manager Arsene Wenger spoke in length about the “socialist” pay structure within the Arsenal dressing room ahead of the FA Cup tie at Swansea, revealing there was a general consensus to keep pay disparity to a minimum, unlike many of their top-flight rivals.

Wenger, though, has stressed the need to keep Walcott on board at Emirates Stadium, with the player having already rejected one contract offer earlier in the season, but now both parties would appear close to reaching an agreement.

Walcott had also expressed a desire to be deployed more in his preferred central striker role, in which he has revelled in during recent weeks, crashing in a hat-trick in the 7-3 win over Newcastle.

While Wenger indicated signing up the 23-year-old England forward was his main priority during the January transfer window, Arsenal are still expected to bring in more additions as they look to break back into the top four of the Premier League and tackle Bayern Munich for a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Drafting in another striker would appear high on the agenda, given Gervinho is away at the African Nations Cup and Marouane Chamakh was allowed to join West Ham on a six-month loan.

Barcelona’s David Villa and Adrian Lopez of Atletico Madrid are both reported targets, along with Sevilla’s Alvaro Negredo and Mainz frontman Adam Szalai.

Elsewhere, Wigan’s £9million-rated midfielder James McCarthy is another said to be on Wenger’s radar, as is Rennes misfit Yann M’Vila.

The Italian press also have linked Roma goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg with a move to Emirates Stadium.

However, Gunners’ number one Wojciech Szczesny sees himself Arsenal’s long-term option.

The 22-year-old Poland stopper told Arsenal Player: “Ever since I signed for this club, I have become an Arsenal fan.

“It feels like it is more than me just playing and doing my best on a Saturday afternoon. I feel like I have a much bigger part to play at this club. It means that little bit more to me.

“I think there are a lot of players in this team that are genuine Gooners - you have got people like Carl Jenkinson, there is Jack Wilshere, Emmanuel Frimpong – a lot of young players who really feel it is the biggest honour they could have, to play for this club. I think that is very important for the future.”

Szczesny is well on his way towards making 100 senior appearances for Arsenal.

He added: “I think I improve with every single game. I get the experience that is needed for a young keeper, so it’s important for me to play as many games as possible.

“I don’t think about playing for any other club. I see my future at Arsenal. I committed to coming here at the age of 16, not to then leave at the age of 24. That is not how it works for me.”

Midfielder Abou Diaby, meanwhile, handed Wenger a timely fitness boost when he returned to action from his latest long injury lay-off – having been missing with a thigh problem since September 29 – as he played more than an hour for the Under-21s against West Brom in their Premier League Elite Group game.

Full-back Andre Santos has been sidelined by a stomach muscle strain but also was back in action this afternoon.

The Brazilian scored the equaliser in the 1-1 draw at London Colney, where midfielder Frimpong, who has just returned from a loan spell at Charlton, was sent off for two late bookings.