Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger finally has a significant transfer kitty at his disposal - but he is still in no hurry to spend it.
Wenger has kept Arsenal in title contention for the past two seasons on a limited budget, with Jens Lehmann his biggest purchase at ?.5million and his priority having been to keep his existing key players at the club.
But with the Gunners poised to announce the completion of their funding package for their new stadium, the Arsenal boss has finally been given some money to spend in the transfer market.
Next month, he could potentially rival Liverpool and Newcastle for any top-class player - even if Manchester United are still one step ahead and Chelsea are in a financial league of their own.
'Do I have money available? Yes. Could I spend ?million on a player? We have been buying players for ?00,000, so even ?million would be fantastic,' said Wenger.
Wenger nevertheless insists he is no rush to invest his new-found riches in an extravagant new purchase.
Instead, he will wait for the right player to become available at the right price, with his main - as yet unidentified - target still beyond his grasp.
'I don't think it will be this season for him,' admitted the Arsenal boss, although he has always been reluctant to reveal his true transfer plans in public.
'The players always want to be strong as a team, and if there is the right player who will integrate into our team then there is no problem.
'But we don't want to buy just for the sake of buying, because we want to improve the squad. If we buy someone who will stand in the way of someone else and he is not better then that's stupid.
'At the moment, I'm not in the market. If I change my mind and get out there I will let you know.
'What would make me do that? A player who I think could be the ideal target at a good price. But I would love not to have to spend any money.'
Wenger has been impressed with the way youngsters such as Jeremie Aliadiere, Gael Clichy and Kolo Toure have progressed this season.
Asked if his squad is now strong enough - despite having allowed Jermaine Pennant, Francis Jeffers, Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Moritz Volz out on loan - he said: 'It depends on the injuries you get.
'We need Dennis not being injured, to have Wiltord back in good form and Kanu to come back in reasonable shape from the African Nations' Cup, with Aliadiere making another step forward.
'We also need Thierry Henry to be in good shape until the end of the season. But at the back, we have shown that we can cope with it.'
Wenger admits it could be 'March or April' before there are any developments in Sylvain Wiltord's contract situation, with the Frenchman's current deal set to expire at the end of this season.
But the Arsenal boss insisted even if he was given the same riches as Claudio Ranieri his response would be simple.
'I would buy a yacht and go on holiday!' he maintained.
A holiday? Now that would be a change for Wenger.
