Djourou’s rallying call to Gunners

JOHAN DJOUROU insists the Arsenal squad cannot concern themselves with whether or not Cesc Fabregas will still be around to lead the club next season.

The Gunners – understood to be on the verge of completing an £11million move for Ivory Coast striker Gervinho from Lille – are set to head to Asia for a lucrative tour on Sunday, with speculation continuing over whether or not wantaway captain Fabregas will be on the plane.

Barcelona are determined to bring their former trainee back to the Nou Camp, but appear unwilling to meet Arsenal’s £40m valuation with vice-president Josep Bartomeu calmly maintaining “we have the whole summer to sign players.”

With the future of contract rebel Samir Nasri, who returned to London Colney yesterday, also still up in the air amid talk of a £20m bid from rivals Manchester United, the continued speculation could be a distraction as Arsene Wenger looks to prepare his side for what will be a crucialChampions League play-off next month.

Swiss centre-half Djourou, however, insists all the players must focus on the job in hand rather than worry about headlines of a mass exodus.

“We know there will be stories but we know what we’re aiming for and what our goal is,” Djourou said.

“We want to be successful so we don’t really get distracted by this. If he [Fabregas] goes, he goes.”

Djourou, however, accepts sometimes when a star name leaves, it actually allows others an opportunity.

“It could be true because when you look at players who normally come out and express themselves, it’s when someone goes,” Djourou added.

“When Thierry [Henry] went, Cesc expressed himself even more, but the two together [Fabregas and Nasri] are great so you’d rather keep them. If someone goes then I am sure someone will step up.”

“Last season we were so close to trophies, but also so far. There was a little bit missing but it’s not much,” he said. “It’s hard to say what’s missing. We have players who are still young and who will grow up.

“Experience is very important, but now if you look around this team we have been here for a long time, so it’s no more an excuse to say we don’t have experience.”

Gervinho is understood to have undergone a medical, with confirmation of a four-year deal expected in time for him to join the nine-day trip to Malaysia and China.

Arsenal are also expected to step up their pursuit of £17m-rated Bolton centre-back Gary Cahill, while reports in Spain suggest Emirates Stadium is the preferred destination of Valencia’s U-21 Spain midfielder Juan Mata, whose buy-out clause would be around £20m.