WENGER WARNING OVER NEW DIRECTOR

Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal's new director of football must hold true to the "values" of the club.

Following the shock departure of vice-chairman David Dein - who helped the Gunners boss in transfers over the past decade - there are set to be changes to the internal structure of the club.

Wenger revealed an appointment will "happen in the summer", but that the man coming in would have to meet strict criteria.

Former Monaco general manager Henri Biancheri, who worked with Wenger in France, has been linked with a role at Emirates Stadium.

However, the Gunners boss stressed: "He will be appointed by me, but it will not necessarily be a friend of mine.

"It will be somebody who will do the job well because if I go after one day the guy still has to work here.

"I am looking for somebody who has experience of negotiating a little bit, somebody I can leave alone because sometimes I cannot be there.

"It will have to be somebody who understands football and knows the football world as well and somebody who has the values and agrees with the values we want to hold at the club."

Arsenal host Fulham tomorrow boosted by the news that veteran goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has agreed a one-year extension to stay at the club.

And Wenger is hopeful he will soon have some concrete news on the future of forward Julio Baptista, who is coming to the end of his season-long loan deal from Real Madrid.

Wenger added: "I will meet his agents next week and Real Madrid a bit later.

"I can talk to the player. Whether he stays or goes, I still need to talk to the agent.

"If he stays, what price? If he goes, how do we do it?

"What can we do about it? You always need some service."

Jose Antonio Reyes went the other way as part of the deal during the closing hours of the August transfer window, but Wenger revealed that nothing has yet been ratified concerning where the winger will be playing next season.

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