Wenger 'fights' to keep Nasri and Fabregas at Arsenal

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has underlined his determination to keep captain Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri at the club.

The Gunners rejected an initial bid from Barcelona for Fabregas and BBC Sport understands they received a near-£20m offer from Manchester United for Nasri, though the Gunners deny this.

"Our position is the same, we want to keep Cesc and I will fight as hard as I can to keep him," said Wenger.

"Samir Nasri is exactly the same."

Wenger, speaking about the French midfielder to www.arsenal.com, added: "We will do everything we can to keep him."

Nasri is expected to travel with the squad this weekend when they fly to Malaysia for a tour of Asia.

But Arsenal said Fabregas has a muscular injury and is likely to be left behind.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson remains hopeful of recruiting Nasri, and has left his offer for the 24-year-old - which was made within the last fortnight - on the table.

Arsenal say no official bid was made, just an expression of interest.

Nasri has so far refused to extend his Gunners contract, which has only 12 months to run.

The Arsenal manager is determined not to sell Nasri to United but knows the player could leave for nothing if he sits out the last year of his deal.

Chelsea and Manchester City have also been linked with Nasri, and Wenger is reluctant to see one of his key performers - a player he would like as a cornerstone of a rebuilt Arsenal team - move to one of his Premier League rivals.

Ferguson, however, is determined to strengthen his midfield after the retirement of Paul Scholes and with Ryan Giggs coming to the end of his career.

Tottenham's Luka Modric and Inter Milan's Wesley Sneijder have been touted as possible Ferguson targets, but the fact that United have made a firm offer for Nasri suggests they are optimistic that a deal can be done, despite Wenger's determination not to sell - and especially to Old Trafford.

Arsenal have offered Nasri an improved, long-term deal at the Emirates and were confident he would sign towards the end of last season, but doubts have grown throughout the summer, encouraging suitors that they can prise him away from north London.