Arsenal Transfer News: Gunners' Options Regarding Futures of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri

Arsene Wenger is reportedly all set to cancel his holidays according to the Mirror, because of the potential departures of three of their more important players. Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri and Andrei Arshavin are the players mentioned in the report though Arshavin’s recent comments suggest that Wenger would like to retain him at Arsenal.

With the fans immensely frustrated by the six year trophy drought, the last thing that Arsene Wenger wants is to lose two of his best players in the squad. Though Arsenal have yet to announce any signing, the general consensus is that Arsene Wenger must bring in some established quality players in order to end this frustrating drought.

However, Wenger will not like to see his best players depart the club as it would be hard to find replacements for them and also, they might require time to adjust to the new club which might trigger another season of rebuilding the team. Though the Gunners endured a spectacular collapse towards the end of the season, they were the main competitors for Manchester United for most of the season and had good wins against quality teams like Barcelona and Chelsea.

Wenger is looking to bolster his squad by bringing in some new players who can add quality to the squad and also, retaining the services of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas is important for the Gunners next season. The Arsenal captain has been continually linked with a move to Barcelona while Nasri has only one year on his contract and should he not sign a new deal, he will be on his way out of the Emirates.

Samir Nasri has been linked with a number of clubs in Europe and he has done nothing to quash these rumors. On the contrary, according to a report on ESPNSoccernet, he refused to rule out a move to Manchester United, who are looking to add more quality to the team that won the EPL this season. Though there is not much news on the Fabregas front, the Arsenal captain could be a likely target for the Spanish Champions.

Cesc Fabregas Situation

Cesc Fabregas has admitted in the past that he would like to return to his former club at some point in his career and his potential transfer has been the subject of speculation for the past few seasons. He was convinced by Arsene Wenger to stay for the 2010-11 season and though the Arsenal manager has confirmed that there is no interest for the club captain, there is every possibility that Barcelona could bid for the Spanish midfielder.

Though Fabregas is likely to be benched, if all midfielders are fit for the Blaugrana, the possibility of winning trophies for Barcelona, where he was a youth player, appeals to him for sure. Wenger will be in a conundrum if he conveys to him that he wants to quit the club because it will be hard to replace him but also, if he resists the approach from the Catalans, it could lead to Fabregas being upset with the club and being the leader and captain of this young team, Wenger will not want any negative vibes before the season.

Whether Fabregas stays or not depends on his decision, Arsene Wenger’s persuasion skills and the offer that Barcelona make for the midfielder. Though Wenger will not price Fabregas out of the move on purpose, he will ensure that Fabregas is sold for the market value of the Arsenal captain and with the inflated transfer markets in the last few seasons, he could be Arsenal’s most expensive sale and could fetch around £45 million.

However, Wenger would rather like the Spaniard to stay at the club than obtain the money from his sale because he is integral to the success of the team and is arguably their best player and certainly their most consistent player over the last few years. But if he pushes for a move, then Arsenal could be interested in a swap deal involving one of Ibrahim Afellay or Thiago Alcantara plus cash of around £35 million.

Arsenal have Aaron Ramsey who is back to full fitness and he is expected to play a big role in the future for the Gunners considering he is one of the most promising midfielders in the world. Hence, the Gunners will not prefer signing Thiago, though he is very talented, because he will take time to adjust to the Premiership and also, he is relatively inexperienced.

Afellay would be an interesting option for the Gunners though considering that his versatility in the centre or on the wings could provide more flexibility for the Gunners. Also, he shares a good rapport with current Arsenal vice captain Robin van Persie and they will know their games having played for the Dutch national team together.

Also Afellay has not received much playing time for Barcelona after joining them in January in a cut-price deal from PSV Eindhoven. With Barcelona also linked with Giuseppi Rossi, he could receive lesser time next season and Cesc Fabregas’ arrival at Barcelona will certainly mean that he will not play in central midfield which he prefers.

Samir Nasri’s Contract Situation

 

However if Barcelona are not interested in involving Afellay in the deal, then Wenger would have another option to sign a quality winger like Eden Hazard and play Samir Nasri in the hole behind Robin van Persie. But the only problem in this is that there is absolutely no guarantee that Nasri will stay with the Gunners next season and he could move on if he fails to reach an agreement with Arsenal regarding the new contract.

Samir Nasri had an excellent first half of the season and though he did fade away towards the end of the season, a tally of 15 goals in a season is good for the midfielder who had scored 12 goals for Arsenal till the 2010-11 season. Nasri has developed into one of the most important players for the Gunners and Arsenal will not like to lose him this summer.

However, he has only one year on his contract and according to Arsene Wenger, there has been a slight financial disagreement on the contract and the Arsenal manager hoped he could hold on to the French midfielder. Nasri has the upper hand in the contract negotiations with many top clubs interested in acquiring his services.

Nasri is reportedly seeking a pay similar to what Cesc Fabregas earns at the club. However, the club has a wage structure which should be respected and if Wenger gives in to Nasri’s demands, then it will mean that he will also have to increase the wages of several other players like Robin van Persie, who has been extremely loyal to the club. It could mean a huge rise in the overall wages of the club and could affect the policy of the club in the long run as more players could start holding the club for ransom and it would set a bad precedent.

If he is indeed sold by the Gunners after failing to sign a new contract, it will be tough to replace a player of his quality. Though he has only one year left on his contract, he is a player of superb potential and could be worth as much as £20 million despite having only a year on his contract. The midfielder’s versatility provides a lot of depth to the Gunners and should he leave, Arsenal will have to look at quality players who can do the job for Arsenal.

Eden Hazard, who was named the French League player of the season for his superb performances for Lille, has been linked with the Gunners in the past and Wenger could splash the cash to acquire his services. Another possible alternative for the Gunners is to sign a quality striker like Karim Benzema who can also play on the wings which means more options for the Arsenal manager.

If Nasri does leave the club, it is likely that the Arsenal manager would also hold on to Tomas Rosicky, despite not being at his best since his return from injury. The Czech International has been benched for a number of games this season but he is one of the more versatile players in the squad and could provide depth to the squad.

The worst situation for the Gunners is in the scenario where Nasri and Fabregas both leave the club in the summer and that would certainly be devastating for the Gunners. However, Arsene Wenger is an astute manager and despite not many trophies in the last few years, he will understand the team’s need for quality players.

The Gunners could generate a large amount of money from the sale of the two players and probably they can also negotiate for a potential player exchange deal for Fabregas involving Afellay, which means that they could have as much as £50 million cash along with the signing of the Dutchman. Wenger needs to invest this money on quality players who are needed to win trophies for the Gunners.

Wenger could have a transfer budget of around £35-40 million and he has said that they do have the capability to make big signings. The Arsenal manager could sign a quality striker and Eden Hazard or Mario Goetze with that cash which means Arsenal will have a formidable attack with Robin van Persie, Aaron Ramsey and Ibrahim Afellay all capable of playing behind the striker.

It is certainly not all “gloom and doom” for Arsenal if Nasri and Cesc Fabregas leaves the club especially considering the potentials of Ramsey and Wilshere but Wenger would not like to lose two key players in the same summer as it could mean that the team’s play could be remodelled. Arsene Wenger will have to spend the money available in the summer to acquire quality players who could help the Gunners end their trophy drought and move to an era of consistent success like they enjoyed in the early years of Arsene Wenger’s time at Arsenal.

Arsenal Transfers: Kaka, Sneijder and 10 Potential Replacements for Fabregas

Cesc Fabregas has been the talisman of this young Arsenal side in the last few years and the season is likely to end in disappointment, barring any spectacular mathematical possibility. The current Arsenal captain voiced his frustration at Wenger's policy of developing youngsters which had taken precedence over winning trophies according to the Spanish midfielder.

Though he did not intend it, he did undermine the authority of Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger when he insinuated that he would not have survived in Spain if he did not win trophies for a span of five years. The Arsenal captain has been coveted by his home club FC Barcelona for a long time now and though speculations were rife last summer, Wenger managed to convince the midfielder to stay for another season.

It is expected that FC Barcelona will make a bid for Arsenal's star midfielder but they must match Arsenal's high valuation of the player for them to sign the playmaker. Former Arsenal player Nigel Winterburn was of the opinion that the Gunners will let their captain move on if they receive a serious offer from the Catalan giants.

If the Arsenal captain makes his move to Barcelona in the club, his place would be hard to fill for the Gunners. However, the emergence of youngsters Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere has provided hope to the supporters though Wenger could bring in a new player to supplement the likes of Nasri and Ramsey with the money obtained from the sale of Fabregas. Here are 10 players who could be targeted by Wenger in the summer.

1. Aaron Ramsey

Aaron Ramsey sustained a horrible leg-break against Stoke City last season and it sparked fears as to whether he can overcome the injury. However, if the game against Manchester United is any indication, he has not suffered any lasting effects from that tackle and retains the creativity that made him an important transfer target for Arsenal and Manchester United when he was at Cardiff.

The Welshman has been touted as the replacement for the current captain Fabregas and he certainly has the potential to be an excellent midfielder for the Gunners. The question which will be on Wenger's mind would be as to whether he is ready to replace the Spaniard in the next season after only just recovering from the injury.

Samir Nasri has shown himself to be adept in the attacking midfield role but if he were to play in the role, Arsenal would have to sign a winger to replace the talented Frenchman. Nasri plays in the centre for France and has the talent to be the most advanced midfielder for the team.

Jack Wilshere is also capable of playing in the role of an attacking midfielder but he is settled in the team playing alongside Song and Wenger has even stated that that is his best position in the long term for young Wilshere.

2. Sergio Canales

The Spanish playmaker is one of the most highly rated youngsters in the world and he showed his class on many occasions for his former club Racing Santander and for the Spain U-19 and U-21 teams. The midfielder was signed by Spanish giants Real Madrid at the start of the 2010-11 season but he has struggled to break into the team due to the impressive performances of Mesut Ozil.

With the array of talents available for manager Jose Mourinho, Canales might not get enough playing time that he requires for his development into a world class player. Arsenal and Arsene Wenger have an excellent record of developing youngsters with good potential into world class players and if Arsenal pay the right value for the Spaniard, Canales could choose to come to the Emirates.

However, he is still inexperienced at the highest level and Arsenal already have a quality youngster Ramsey in their ranks.

3. Thiago Alacantara
 
Thiago Alacantara is one of the brightest prospects to emerge from the famous La Masia academy of Barcelona and has been touted as one of the stars of the future. Though the youngster has made limited appearances for the Blaugrana, the quality of the youngster is evident and he has the attributes of being an excellent attacking midfielder.

However, if Barcelona do sign Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas, it could hamper the chances of the youngster breaking into the first team and it could result in him looking for a move away from the Catalan club. Arsenal have been rumored to be monitoring his progress and if he is looking for a move, Arsene Wenger could look to sign him for the Gunners.

The disadvantage of signing him is the same as that of the signing of Canales. He is also inexperienced and would need time to adjust to the rigours of the Premier League.


4. Wesley Sneijder

Though the influential Dutchman has been reported to be a big money transfer target for Manchester United, Arsene Wenger could attempt to hijack the deal if Cesc Fabregas leaves the club. Sneijder has been superb in his spell at Inter Milan and was one of the best players in the World Cup.

The experienced midfielder will not come at a bargain though but he will add a lot of experience and winning mentality to this youthful Arsenal squad. However, it is rumored that Van Persie and Sneijder have differences, which could be detrimental to the squad.
 
5. Javier Pastore

Javier Pastore has been impressive in the last few seasons and has been linked to many big clubs including the likes of Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona and also Manchester United. The Argentina International has a bright future ahead of him and has even earned a senior cap for Argentina at the age of 20.

Though Pastore has been linked strongly with the Spanish giants, he will have a better chance to develop into a world class player under the tutelage of Arsene Wenger, who has played an important part in developing many prodigious talents like Jack Wilshere and Cesc Fabregas.

However, Palermo's high valuation of the midfielder will imply that the Wenger will have to spend a large chunk of the money obtained from the sale of Fabregas which may prove to be a stumbling block.

6. Nuri Sahin
 
Nuri Sahin could be one of Wenger's transfer targets in the summer as he seems destined to leave Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund after enjoying a hugely successful season with the German club. He has only one year left on his contract and even his team mates have accepted the fact that he could be on the move in the summer.

In many sections of the media, it has been reported that Sahin signing on the dotted line for Real Madrid is only a formality. He could be one of the bargains of the summer as he is capable of playing as an attacking midfielder or a deep lying playmaker.

Though he is an attractive prospect for Arsenal, it is likely that he will choose Real Madrid as his destination in the summer.

7. Keisuke Honda

The Japanese International impressed Arsene Wenger, who was working as a pundit, in the world cup and was one of the key reasons for Japan's performances in the tournament. Though he can be considered by many as a second striker, he is capable of playing as an attacking midfielder.

He has an excellent work ethic and also has the quality to play for a top European club. He has a good shooting range and is a good set-piece taker. In the world cup, he scored from a scintillating free kick to the dismay of Bendtner and his Danish team-mates.

The CSKA Moscow player will not be too costly for a club like Arsenal and  in the past, there have been reports of him being linked to a move to Arsenal. In addition to this, he could be the ideal mentor for one of Arsenal's most talented youngsters Ryo Miyaichi.

8. Marko Marin

The Germany International has been impressive for Werder Bremen this season and despite the club's inconsistent performances, he has been one of the most important performers for the club. The 22-year-old has been touted as one of Germany's best talents along with Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira and was in the World Cup squad.

He will not come at a bargain but could be interested in a move to Arsenal after Werder finishing well below the Champions League spots this season. He has a phenomenal assists record with an average of more than 10 assists a season in his last four years and will only improve with time. He could be an astute signing by Wenger, which will be reminiscent to the signing of Samir Nasri.

9. Ibrahim Afellay

According to reports, Robin van Persie had advised Arsene Wenger to sign former PSV Eindhoven midfielder Ibrahim Afellay but the midfielder opted to join Barcelona in January. The talented midfielder is at a prime age when he needs to be playing regularly but with the Barcelona team consisting of a number of stars including the likes of Xavi, Iniesta and Pedro, Afellay's role in the team has been restricted.

If Barcelona were to sign Afellay, that  would certainly mean that he will only compete for a spot on the wing currently occupied by Pedro. However, Pep Guardiola has a lot of faith in the Spaniard and Pedro has been consistent for the Blaugrana. Hence, Barcelona could involve Afellay in the Fabregas deal in order to tempt Arsenal.

10. Ricardo Kaka

The best way to appease Arsenal fans would be to sign a world class attacking midfielder if their influential captain Cesc Fabregas moves on. Kaka is one of the few midfielders in the world who would satisfy the description as a world class midfielder and could have a huge impact if he can stay free of injuries.

Kaka has endured a horrible time at Madrid after his record breaking move from Milan and has been dogged by various injuries which has resulted in him losing his place in the side to Ozil. The midfielder has been benched on a number of occasions and the imminent arrival of Sahin could mean that Madrid have enough depth in the midfield.

At the age of 29, Kaka needs to play regularly and still has the quality to demolish any opposition on his own. the former AC Milan midfielder's time at Madrid seems to be coming to an end as Ozil has taken centre stage at Real Madrid.

It would be a risky move to pool in huge money for a player who has struggled for fitness in the last two years but it would be a signal of intent if Arsenal were to sign Kaka. Besides, Arsenal do have the likes of Ramsey and Nasri to play in the role if the Brazilian is injured. It is difficult to sign players who are genuine winners and Arsenal will have the player who could take them to the next level if they sign Kaka.

Arsenal and Manchester United interested in acquiring the services of Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcantara

Barcelona youngster Thiago Alcantara has not enjoyed too many chances in the first team due to the impressive form of Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta. His contract ends in the summer and has not committed his future to the Blaugrana. Jonathan dos Santos and Thiago are said to be two of the most gifted academy players but at the age of 19, Thiago is interested in playing more in the first team.

Also, the signing of Ibrahim Afellay has pushed him further down the pecking order and he could move on in January. Arsenal and Manchester United are both said to be interested in acquiring the services of the midfielder who has got good vision and creativity.

Thiago would be interested to join the Gunners considering Wenger gives opportunities to youngsters and also, another young Spaniard from La Masia has gone on to captain the Arsenal team. Cesc Fabregas has developed immensely at Arsenal and his progress could influence Thiago’s decision.

Manchester United have also got an excellent record of developing youngsters and are interested in the 19-year old. The Red Devils have not got a proper replacement for the aging Paul Scholes and Sir Alex Ferguson has got a lot of faith in Tom Cleverley. But Thiago could be a good addition and could be a regular for Manchester United in the future.

Barcelona will be interested in keeping the youngster but cannot provide him too many opportunities. He wants to be promoted to the first team and since there are no indications of that happening, he could well move on. Also, Barcelona are expected to sign Cesc Fabregas sometime in the future which means that Thiago’s chances at the heart of the Barcelona midfield is not so good. Arsenal and Manchester United are both good clubs for the youngster and he must decide on which club is best suited to his development.

Cesc Fabregas' Future is at Arsenal and not in Barcelona until Xavi Hernandez Retires

Cesc Fabregas is one of the world's finest play-makers and is the captain and talisman for the Gunners. He is the leader on the pitch and most of Arsenal's attacking play revolves around the talented young Spaniard. He has shown the willingness and determination to be successful for the Gunners and is a huge fan favourite at the Emirates.

He was one of the leading lights of Barcelona's La Masia academy in which he played alongside quality players like Gerard Pique and Lionel Messi. Arsene Wenger promised Francesc Fabregas of playing first team football for one of Europe's biggest clubs and he was interested to sign for Arsenal and it did not cost Arsenal much money to sign the talented midfielder.

Barcelona has regretted their decision to let their young gem leave their club and have looked to bring him back to Spain for some years now. The Catalan club have bid for the Spanish midfielders on some occasions but have seen their attempts rebuffed by Arsene Wenger and Arsenal.

Fabregas started his Arsenal career playing in the 4-4-2 formation alongside Gilberto Silva and established himself as one of the most important players in the Arsenal team. Though he does not possess too much physicality, he is a tough competitor and has adjusted his game to suit to the physical demands of the Premier League.

Arsene Wenger tinkered with his formation to allow Fabregas the luxury to be more attacking in a 4-3-3 formation. The Spaniard has excelled in this formation and has acquired the knack of scoring important goals for the Gunners. From a very young age, he has had a great eye to pick out passes and it is no wonder that he has had numerous assists for the Gunners.

Arsenal's main striker, Robin Van Persie, said that in every match that Fabregas played, he would get at least three or four good chances to score and it was up to him to make full use of the chances which highlighted the importance of Fabregas in the team.

He is highly regarded by his teammates and though he might be younger than some of the other Arsenal players, he is respected as the captain and undisputed leader of the team.

Fabregas has suffered numerous injuries in his Arsenal career and his recurrent hamstring issue has drawn comparisons with Michael Owen, whose brilliant career has been blighted by the same fault.

But with the emergence of Samir Nasri, Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey, Fabregas' workload will be reduced in the future and that should not be cited as a reason for him to move away from the Emirates because he is a fighter and will not back down from a good physical battle.

Fabregas has dreamt of conquering many titles in Spain and Europe with his hometown club Barcelona, who are in the midst of an incredible era. He has been frustrated with Arsenal's lack of titles and Wenger's policy of not spending enough to acquire quality players.

But even though Arsenal have not spent much, they have a quality team which is capable of winning titles if Fabregas is fully focused and can be at his best for the Gunners.

Barcelona have shown a lot of interest in bring back the Spaniard to the Camp Nou and in this summer, speculations were rife that Fabregas will join the Catalan club, but Wenger stood firm and the £29 million bid was not going to be enough to prise their biggest asset. Fabregas' love for the Blaugrana is well documented but he must be pragmatic when he looks at his options.

It is fair to say that Xavi Hernandez is the heart and soul of the Barcelona midfield while Andres Iniesta is his established partner. Barcelona's humiliation of Real Madrid proved once again that Xavi Hernandez cannot be displaced from the Barcelona team till he calls it a day.

Andres Iniesta is a different midfielder to Xavi and possesses dribbling skills which are comparable to Lionel Messi. Iniesta is arguably Barcelona's most creative player and is close to irreplaceable just like Xavi in the Barcelona midfield.

This leaves only Sergio Busquets in the three man midfield of Barcelona, and Fabregas cannot compete with Busquets because though he is more talented than the Barcelona midfielder, he cannot do his job in defensive midfield.

This would mean that Cesc Fabregas will have to settle for a role on the bench, most probably as an impact or late substitute. He might get starts in matches to reduce the workload of Xavi and Iniesta but he will be on the bench for key contests in the La Liga and Champions League.

For a player of Cesc Fabregas' quality, he should he starting for a team regularly in important games and he is bound to be frustrated if he does not get enough games. Pep Guardiola has found immense success in the present formation and will have no reason to alter it even with the inclusion of Fabregas in his squad.

Barcelona have further strengthened their squad with the expected deal of Ibrahim Afellay, who is bound to join the Blaugrana in January. Afellay is a talented young player who is probably going to be on the bench and will be used to reduce Xavi and Iniesta's workload over the course of the season. Barcelona might also use Afellay or Bojan Krkic as a makeweight in the Fabregas deal, but Arsenal would be more than pleased to keep their prized asset at the Emirates.

Cesc Fabregas has regarded Arsene Wenger as his second father and does not want to part ways with the Gunners on a bitter note. The Arsenal supporters do not have any memories of the long transfer saga and embraced him with warm applause when he made his first appearance of the season.

Fabregas should be firm in deciding where his future lies and despite his love for the Blaugrana, he has got too much quality to spend the best years of his career on the Barcelona bench.

At only 24, Fabregas should be playing regularly and should continue with the Gunners for a minimum of the next two or three years before he moves to Spain to replace the aging but quintessential Xavi Hernandez.