Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is happy to put his faith in Francis Coquelin.

The 24-year old French midfielder has been an integral part of the Gunners' line-up in the second half of the season, so much so that Wenger suggests he could even be worth as much as £40million in today's market.

"The world has changed," Wenger said. "The appreciation today of the quality of a player is just down with the money you spend.

"If we had bought Coquelin at Christmas for £40m, everyone would say 'what a signing'. I am sorry he didn't cost any money, he is still a good player.

"What is a player worth today? Nobody knows really. I just wanted to say that if we had bought (Coquelin), nobody would complain that he was a good player.

"Nobody would dispute that his performances have been convincing and that he is ready for a fight even if somebody comes in. He has shown he has the capacity to play for us and play a big part in the success of the team. I extended his contract, that means I believe in him."