Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has declared that the club's pre-season trip to Vietnam has allowed him to fulfil a lifetime ambition to visit the country.

The Gunners arrived in Vietnam late last night after beginning their Asian adventure with a 7-0 victory over an Indonesian XI in Jakarta.

The Frenchman told the club's official website: "It was one of my dreams to visit Vietnam. I have strong relations with this country from when I was still in France as a child.

"I heard only positive things about Vietnam and, from the impression I have got here, I would be happy to come back. We have a big fanbase in Asia that we want to develop.

"It is a good opportunity to show the values we care about, also to become well known and loved everywhere. It is about the development of Arsenal as a world club and, of course, that is very important."

Arsenal will play a friendly against the Vietnamese national side tomorrow night, before completing their Far East tour with a pair of fixtures in Japan.