Arsenal: Arsene Wenger dismisses reports of Calum Chambers returning to Southampton on loan

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has dismissed the possibility of Calum Chambers returning to boyhood club Southampton on a season-long loan. Chambers moved from Southampton to Arsenal in the last summer transfer window for £16m ($25m).

Talking about his plans for Chambers, Wenger confirmed that he sees the youngster as a player who can challenge Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny and Gabriel Paulista for a starting place in the centre of defence.

"I want to develop him as a centre-back," Wenger told the press at his pre-Community Shield press conference. "He will get games at Arsenal".

Wenger also brushed aside criticisms from Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho that Arsenal are buying their way to being Premier League title contenders.

"We spent what we think we have to spend and don't listen too much to what people have to say," he said. "We try to make the right decisions, we don't spend the money we haven't got. I believe that one day if you make real statistics of players we have developed and compare them to other clubs you will be surprised.

"I get different reproaches – that I don't spend enough, then I spend too much. I let other people talk. What you want is to not listen too much to what people say. I believe if you want to create success you have to focus on the inside and do as well as we can. Focus on the football we want to play and let other people talk."