The Arsenal squad returned from their pre-season tour of Asia on Sunday and Wenger will assess Cesc Fabregas on Monday morning before deciding if he is ready to return for Saturday’s friendly against Cologne.
The backdrop, however, is Barcelona’s ongoing pursuit of Fabregas. Wenger accepts that the 24 year-old is genuinely torn between Arsenal and his hometown club but knows that, for the benefit of the London club, there needs to be a swift resolution.
Barcelona have already had one bid of £27 million rejected and there remains the long-standing question of whether they are willing to fund a deal that Arsenal would find acceptable.
“For us it is important that the team settles psychologically as quickly as possible because we have a tough start,” said Wenger, the Arsenal manager.
“We play most of the big clubs away in the first half of the season. We have to stop at some stage. I hope we can close that [the Fabregas situation] very quickly in our favour.”
Fabregas is still yet to train with the full squad following a hamstring injury but, after Cologne on Saturday, there is the Emirates Cup on July 30-31 and a final pre-season friendly against Benfica on Aug 6.
“We will have to see how far he is with his injury,” said Wenger. “He is not back in full training. I will have to assess him.”
Wenger, though, is adamant that Fabregas is very much part of his pre-season plans. “Yes, of course,” he said. “The problem is we face speculation from everywhere but my target is the same, to keep the players and my desire to fight for that is the same.”
While Wenger has accepted that he could allow Fabregas to leave if he is unhappy and Barcelona match Arsenal’s valuation, he is adamant that Samir Nasri will stay.
During matches in Asia over the past week, Nasri has shared the usual Fabregas position behind a main central striker with Aaron Ramsey. Nasri is the subject of interest from both Manchester City andManchester United.
Wenger is unhappy at the way Roberto Mancini has spoken openly of his desire to sign the France midfielder, describing the City manager’s comments as “absolutely out of order”. He believes Mancini has broken football’s code of conduct by speaking about another player who is under contract at another club.
The Arsenal manager stopped short of calling for the Premier Leagueor Fifa to take direct action but has clearly grown weary of hearing senior figures at rival clubs speak so openly about his players.
Last week, he accused Xavi and Sandro Rosell, the Barcelona midfielder and president respectively, of being disrespectful for recent comments about Fabregas.
"Things have changed in England and I believe it is important that we go back to normal behaviour on that front,” said Wenger." The rules are the rules. You have never heard me say any word about a player.”
Denilson, the Brazil midfielder, left Arsenal’s pre-season tour of Asia to travel back to South America where he is in talks to spend a season on loan at Sao Paulo. Fluminese is a more distant possibility.
Nicklas Bendtner and Manuel Almunia are also in talks with other clubs about a potential move. Wenger, though, has no plans to recruit a new left-back following the departure of Gael Clichy, with Kieran Gibbs almost certain to start the season in that position.
The backdrop, however, is Barcelona’s ongoing pursuit of Fabregas. Wenger accepts that the 24 year-old is genuinely torn between Arsenal and his hometown club but knows that, for the benefit of the London club, there needs to be a swift resolution.
Barcelona have already had one bid of £27 million rejected and there remains the long-standing question of whether they are willing to fund a deal that Arsenal would find acceptable.
“For us it is important that the team settles psychologically as quickly as possible because we have a tough start,” said Wenger, the Arsenal manager.
“We play most of the big clubs away in the first half of the season. We have to stop at some stage. I hope we can close that [the Fabregas situation] very quickly in our favour.”
Fabregas is still yet to train with the full squad following a hamstring injury but, after Cologne on Saturday, there is the Emirates Cup on July 30-31 and a final pre-season friendly against Benfica on Aug 6.
“We will have to see how far he is with his injury,” said Wenger. “He is not back in full training. I will have to assess him.”
Wenger, though, is adamant that Fabregas is very much part of his pre-season plans. “Yes, of course,” he said. “The problem is we face speculation from everywhere but my target is the same, to keep the players and my desire to fight for that is the same.”
While Wenger has accepted that he could allow Fabregas to leave if he is unhappy and Barcelona match Arsenal’s valuation, he is adamant that Samir Nasri will stay.
During matches in Asia over the past week, Nasri has shared the usual Fabregas position behind a main central striker with Aaron Ramsey. Nasri is the subject of interest from both Manchester City andManchester United.
The Arsenal manager stopped short of calling for the Premier Leagueor Fifa to take direct action but has clearly grown weary of hearing senior figures at rival clubs speak so openly about his players.
Last week, he accused Xavi and Sandro Rosell, the Barcelona midfielder and president respectively, of being disrespectful for recent comments about Fabregas.
"Things have changed in England and I believe it is important that we go back to normal behaviour on that front,” said Wenger." The rules are the rules. You have never heard me say any word about a player.”
Denilson, the Brazil midfielder, left Arsenal’s pre-season tour of Asia to travel back to South America where he is in talks to spend a season on loan at Sao Paulo. Fluminese is a more distant possibility.
Nicklas Bendtner and Manuel Almunia are also in talks with other clubs about a potential move. Wenger, though, has no plans to recruit a new left-back following the departure of Gael Clichy, with Kieran Gibbs almost certain to start the season in that position.
