Wenger wants a resolution

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger intends to resolve the futures of wantaway captain Cesc Fabregas and contract rebel Samir Nasri "very quickly".

Barcelona had initially seen a £27million offer rebuffed earlier in the summer, as Arsenal remained steadfast in their demands over a £40million fee for their captain. However, with the European champions not willing to significantly up their cash bid, and Wenger admitting the player was unsettled, it appears as if Arsenal will have to allow the deal to go through for less than they had wanted.

Wenger confirmed to Arsenal Player: "That is completely the truth. We hope it will be sorted out very quickly one way or the other. We will know very quickly."

Reports have suggested a deal - understood to include a down payment of 30million euros (£27million), with an additional 6million euros (£5.2million) in performance-based add-ons - will be pushed through ahead of this weekend's Barclays Premier League opener at Newcastle.

Nasri, meanwhile, has yet to pen a new deal, and so could leave for nothing next summer.

Manchester City are reported to be ready to bid up to £25million for the France midfielder.

Wenger said: "The Nasri situation is stable. Again it is very difficult to speak about possible transfers, but we are in a situation where we have to make decisions one way or the other.

"Ideally you want it to be sorted out before the season starts."

Were Fabregas - who missed the Asia tour and all of pre-season because, officially at least, he was troubled by a hamstring problem - to feature in next week's first leg of Arsenal's Champions League play-off against Udinese, the midfielder would be ineligible for any other side later in the competition, suggesting the deal will be pushed through before then.

Fabregas joined Arsenal as a raw youngster for nothing from Barcelona in 2003, and has made more than 300 appearances, scoring 57 goals, but the World Cup winner has yet to taste club success.