captain Cesc Fabregas Arsene Wenger does not expect captain Cesc Fabregas to be fit to lead Arsenal in their opening game of the new Premier League season. The Spanish midfielder has been omitted from the Gunners' final pre-season friendly against Benfica in Portugal.
Wenger had last week purposely omitted the Arsenal skipper from the Emirates Cup, admitting the player, who has been hampered by a hamstring problem, had become unsettled by continued speculation over his future.
The Gunners manager feels his captain needs more rehabilitation time ahead of any anticipated return to action in an Arsenal shirt. "He is just coming back from injury and is not ready to play in a game, but he is not injured," Wenger said.
"I don't think Fabregas will be ready to start the season because he has been out for a long time and has had no games."
Wenger added: "I do not want to speak about the transfer of Fabregas because I have done that three years now in every press conference so I don't think there is any more need to add something. I love Fabregas and I want him to stay, that is basically it. Everybody is free to think what they want. We cannot stop people raising questions."
Meanwhile, midfielder Samir Nasri will also miss the friendly match with a muscular problem, while both Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott have also been left off the squad list due to ankle problems -injuries expected to impact on their involvement in next week's England friendly against Holland at Wembley.
Nicklas Bendtner and Emmanuel Eboue have not been included as they aim to push through respective moves to Sporting Lisbon and Galatasaray.