Just Arsenal News

Arsene Wenger thinks that this summer was particularly difficult in the transfer market, but he is very pleased that he managed to bring in Laurent Koscielny, Sebastien Squillaci and Marouane Chamakh and all three have managed to fit into the team quickly.

But he also believes that it was “vital” that Arsenal managed to keep their captain Cesc Fabregas out of the clutches of Barcelona. “It was vital for us to keep Cesc because we build a team around him.” Wenger said. .......Read the full article here

It’s Sunday yet again and as usual the papers are full of football transfer rumours, and quite a few of them are about Arsenal. I reported yesterday that the latest goalkeeping rumours are saying that Wenger has turned his attention to Ajax keeper Maarten Stekelenberg, after the deals for Shay Given and Mark Schwarzer now look dead in the water. .......Read the full article here

It looks like Arsene Wenger is going to take the opportunity of a (hopefully!) easy game against Blackpool, to give his returning World Cup Finalists an extra rest while they try and catch up with the fitness of the rest of the Arsenal squad.

Both Fabregas and Van Persie only rejoined the squad two weeks ago, and then had to fly off again to play in the usual pre-season “meaningless international friendly” which always cheers up Premiership managers so much. .......Read the full article here

Arsenal are preparing for the first crucial match of the Premiership season, and the lack of fitness and injuries are leaving Arsene Wenger with a threadbare squad to choose from. We already know that Nicklas Bendtner will not be returning to the side for at least a couple of months, and Cesc Fabregas and Robin Van Persie have only just returned from their extended breaks.

“They are a lot behind,” said Wenger. “I hope Van Persie will have a good week of preparation, but I think he will be short as well.” .......Read the full article here

The Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski admitted that he is still fighting to be given the nod to play against Liverpool next week, and he also revealed that Fabregas kept his team-mates guessing when he arrived, and the rest of the squad weren’t sure that he would stay until they saw it on the Arsenal website!

He said: “I think it is a big lift for us. Everyone was a bit relieved when Fabregas officially said he would stay.

“He did not tell us, though. It happened on the club website. It happened after we flew to Warsaw. .......Read the full article here

There are a couple of interesting stories in the papers this morning, and the most worrying is a report in the Mail about Cesc Fabregas. The Arsenal captain spent an emotional evening with 2500 fas in his hometown of Arenys de Mar in the north of Spain, where they laid on a celebration in recognisance of him winning a World Cup medal.

As part of the fiesta, the Daily Mail relates that a video was shown of Fabregas’ early years at Barcelona, and the crowd cheered every time they saw him in a Barca shirt. It seems Fabregas then took the stage in an emotional state and said: “‘I hope to see all of you more often and closer.” .......Read the full article here

The Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger spoke again this evening about the Cesc Fabregas rumours, and he sounded quite depressed about the whole affair, which seems to just drag on and on, no matter what he says.

When asked if he spoken to Fabregas about it recently, Wenger refused to be drawn: “I cannot confirm nor deny anything.” he said. “In the last six months, this story has made our lives difficult. At the moment, what is important is that when Cesc comes back, that he comes out. For me, I have nothing more to add. The conversations with the players have to be private because I cannot come out every time I speak with a player.” .......Read the full article here

Arsene Wenger is adamant that he intends to make his captain Cesc Fabregas stick to the terms of his contract at Arsenal, which still has five or six years left on it.

He said: “I always said Cesc Fabregas will be our captain next year and that we want to keep him.

“Despite all the speculation last season and the whole summer, nothing has changed.

“Cesc has always said he is committed to the club and he has always shown it.

“The best way to show you are committed is that you give your best when you walk on the football pitch and he has always done that. .......Read the full article here

The Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas has made it plain that he wants to return to his “home” of Barcelona this season, but Arsene Wenger refuses to listen to offers for a player that signed a bumper five year contract last year. Here are a few of Cesc’s comments this summer:

Cesc May 13th: “I want to make a decision about my future before the World Cup,” Fabregas said. “If I decide to leave Arsenal it will be to wear the shirt of Barcelona. I am very happy at Arsenal and I’m in no hurry to leave the club.” .......Read the full article here

The schizophrenic ramblings of Cesc Fabregas yesterday has reignited the Arsenal transfer rumours suggesting a replacement. Carlos Puyol’s outburst has suggested that Fabregas is being kept against his will, and if he demands a move when he meets with Wenger next week, Arsenal will be put in a no-win situation.

The Sun has struck the first blow today by saying that Wenger is considering an offer for Ibrahim Afellay. The PSV midfielder has been admired by Wenger for years, and is now entering the final season of his contract at the Dutch giants and will therefore be available for a cut-price £7m, which would be a sizeable saving if Barcelona stump up the necessary £50m for Fabregas. .......Read the full article here

Arsenal fans are certainly used to having injury problems, so before a game it is normal to think “who is available” before discussing line-ups, but to have Arsene Wenger to expect three top players not to be available for the first game of the season must be a first!

The good news is that, although Johan Djourou limped out of last nights game in Austria, Wenger doesn’t think it is serious and the SWISS defender should be okay for the Emirates Cup matches. Thomas Rosicky also missed the game but again Wenger thinks it is just a minor problem. .......Read the full article here

The Arsenal defender Tom Cruise, who is currently playing for the England U19 side in the European Championships in France, says that Cesc Fabregas is a great example to him, and one of the best players in the World.

The England side are just about to play Spain in the semi-finals of the tournament, and he wants to win so he can show Fabregas his winners medal! “Cesc is a real inspiration to all the younger players at Arsenal because he’s one of the best players in the world.” said Cruise. .......Read the full article here