Wenger coy over star duo
Fabregas has been omitted from the squad for today’s Premier League opener at Newcastle while the fitness of Nasri, who is suffering from an illness, is being monitored.
On Thursday night Wenger last night appeared resigned to losing the duo, with Fabregas on the brink of joining Barcelona and Nasri close to agreeing a transfer to Manchester City.
But yesterday the Frenchman gave a series of non-committal answers when questioned over their departures.
“I expect nobody to leave the club,” he said at the club’s training ground, confirming that Fabregas has not gone on strike.
When asked if therefore they will stay, Wenger responded: “That’s a good conclusion from my statement.
“I believe the best thing for us, one day before the season starts, is not to focus on the possible transfers.
“I cannot say it will never happen, I cannot say it will happen.’’
Fabregas has been agitating for a move to Barcelona, the club he left as a 16-year-old in 2003, for the past two summers but Nasri’s desire to leave emerged far more recently.
The prospect of losing arguably his two best players must be daunting for Wenger, but the 61-year-old insists replacements can be found if necessary. “We are all replaceable. All the cemeteries are full of replaceable people,” he said.
“But you do not want to lose big players, we fight to have big players so you do not want to lose them.
“I have not been disappointed by Cesc’s attitude and not by Samir’s attitude. They have both been professional.
“The transfer speculation is disruptive but not an excuse. We have to deal with that, it is part of our job. People come in and out.’’
Wenger denied losing the duo would mean Arsenal are no longer a big club.
“Manchester United let (Cristiano) Ronaldo go, do you think they are not a big club?”
He was also adamant he was in no hurry to bring new players in.
“Do we want to buy? I don’t know because at the moment we have too big a squad, we have too many players,” he said.
However while Wenger was adopting an evasive stance regarding Fabregas, Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes was claiming a deal to bring Fabregas back to the Nou Camp is close.
When asked at a press conference if the arrival of Fabregas was imminent, Valdes said: “It hope so yes and, if the news is confirmed it will be great news, above all for one person, a friend, and the Barcelona fans. I’m not disclosing anything, but as you know it is advanced, and although it is not official it will surely be closed very soon.”
Despite the lack of official confirmation of a deal being reached, Barca’s central defensive pair Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique took to Twitter yesterday to welcome their Spain colleague back to the Nou Camp.
Barca captain Puyol posted: “Welcome home!!! Happy to have you here @cesc4official ooohhhh.”
Pique tweeted: “@cesc4official. Now we have him here!”
Meanwhile Arsenal have agreed terms with Costa Rican side Deportivo Saprissa to sign teenage striker Joel Campbell.
The 19-year-old was in his country’s squad for the recent Copa America and the Under-20 World Cup.
The Gunners revealed last night that the transfer is subject to the completion of ‘formal agreements and processes’.
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