Wenger won´t give up on Fabregas

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insists his club will fight tooth and nail to keep captain Cesc Fabregas at the club.

Fabregas was expected to join his boyhood team Barcelona during the last close-season and the Spanish giants are expected to come knocking once again at the end of this term.

As yet another season without a trophy comes to its conclusion with Sunday’s trip to Fulham, Wenger argued that Fabregas should be committed to the Arsenal cause.

Wenger said: “I will fight very hard to keep him here and expect to keep him. You have always to fight when you have a player of that quality.

“The biggest pride for a captain is to be committed to his club and deliver trophies to his team. I believe the quality of a sportsman’s life is to be committed to his club and not just move on when it does not go as well as expected.”

Wenger also thinks it is a big risk for midfielder Jack Wilshere to play for the England Under-21 side in the European Championships next month.

The PFA Young Player of the Year has made 48 appearances for Arsenal this season and Wenger would like him to get some rest.

The 19-year-old has already played for the full national side on four occasions and the Under-21’s are supposed to be to help emerging players gain experience.

“We have to accept and respect the choice even if we think it is the wrong decision. He has played nearly 50 games this year for Arsenal. To go to a tournament is a massive risk,” Wenger said.

“I am happy if the Under-21’s do well because I want England to do very well. Jack knows that he is nearly at the end of his energy level but he is keen to do well.”

The Frenchman has also insisted that he is confident the club will challenge for the Premier League and Champions League trophies next season after extending their run without a trophy to six years,

“You can say you will give absolutely the maximum to do it but you cannot guarantee that, only if you are crazy.

“I promise Arsenal fans that we will give our best to win trophies. Who can guarantee that they will deliver trophies? We will give our best to do it, that is our main target.”

Laurent Koscielny will miss the trip to Craven Cottage with a thigh muscle strain, as will Gael Clichy and Johan Djourou, while in midfield Samir Nasri is ruled out with a hamstring problem and a thigh strain means Fabregas will play no part.