• Premier League

Fabregas not in Arsenal squad for Toon trip

Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri have not been included in the Arsenal squad © PA Photos

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Arsenal agree deal for striker Campbell
  
• News: Barca forced to wait on Fabregas
  
• News: Mancini hopeful of swift resolution to Nasri saga
  
• News: Wilshere injury gives Wenger a 'bad surprise'
  
• News: Arsenal line up Jadson as Fabregas replacement
  
• News: Cesc and Nasri sagas over 'very quickly' - Wenger
  
• News: Barcelona close to Fabregas deal
  
• Profile: Cesc Fabregas | Samir Nasri

This season ESPN Goals is completely free. It's the first place to see every goal from every Premier League game, all season long

The future of Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas has been thrown further into doubt with the news that the midfielder has not been included in the squad for the Gunners' trip to Newcastle.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger confirmed that Robin van Persie would captain the Gunners for the trip to St James' Park, but remained defiant on the futures of Fabregas and Samir Nasri.

Fabregas and Nasri are widely reported to be on the verge of moves to Barcelona and Manchester City respectively, though Wenger refused to entertain that prospect in his pre-match press conference on Friday.

"I expect nobody to leave the club," Wenger said. "At the moment there is no news. What we want today is to focus on the players who can help. [The transfer market is] not as easy as people think it is. I'm not disappointed by Cesc's attitude or Samir Nasri's attitude."

Wenger revealed Nasri had been suffering with illness and was a doubt for the match, while he conceded that Fabregas was not injured, but "not match fit".

"[Nasri] has had a sickness. No other issue," Wenger said. "Cesc is not injured, he's not match fit. I don't want to go any deeper than that."

Wenger responded defiantly when quizzed further on the potential sales of Fabregas and Nasri, whose departures would leave the Gunners shorn of two of their most influential players.

"Manchester United sold [Cristiano] Ronaldo. Does that mean they are not a big club?" Wenger said. "We want to have a fully committed squad on the pitch. What is important is that the players who play give 100%. At the moment we have too big a squad. We are not in a position where we are short of players."

Arsenal's Premier League opener against Newcastle is live on ESPN and you can book your front-row seat right here

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.