Arsene Wenger insists Cesc Fabregas is staying © Getty Images Enlarge

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has blasted Xavi's comments about Cesc Fabregas, claiming the midfielder has been "very disrespectful" to the club.

Fabregas had indicated last summer that he was keen to return to Barcelona, but Arsenal rejected two bids and stressed that they had no intention of allowing their captain to leave.

It had appeared a move was on the cards this summer when an unnamed Arsenal director told the BBC that Fabregas would be allowed to leave should a suitable bid arrive, but manager Arsene Wenger has since outlined his determination to keep the player at the Emirates.

However, Xavi told the Barcelona website on Wednesday: "I spoke to Cesc in Ibiza and he said he was suffering because he wanted to come. It's more like he did everything he could to come and wants to leave Arsenal - although he made it clear that now everything depends on the selling club.''

When asked about this latest development, the Arsenal manager was not pleased, and replied: "I cannot comment on every comment [involving Fabregas]. What is important is Cesc has a contract with Arsenal, and we want to keep him."

Wenger also did not mince words about Xavi's comments. "A mutual respect should stand between the two clubs", the manager said. "Xavi has been very disrespectful to Arsenal football club."

Turning his attention to contract rebel Samir Nasri, after a 4-0 win over Malaysia XI, Wenger said: ''We are a big club with many good young players so we are confronted with many rumours and speculation, but it doesn't affect much what's happening inside the club. We have to live with that and you could see when he [Nasri] played that he wasn't disturbed by that. He has always had a very good attitude.''

Should Nasri not sign a new deal and Arsenal stand firm in their resolve to spurn £20 million-plus advances from Manchester City and Manchester United, then the France international could leave for nothing in a year's time.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson felt that would not sit well with the money men at Emirates Stadium. However, Wenger insisted: ''I believe that is no problem. It is a technical decision. On one hand people say I don't spend enough and when I spend people say I spend too much. It's very difficult to find the right medium.

''What is important is that the club has a good team and is in a strong financial situation. The decisions are dictated by financial restrictions, but not only by that. 'The most important thing is that the team is right and our financial situation is right as well.''

Wenger does not expect a backlash from Gunners fans towards Nasri, signed from Marseille in 2008.

He said: ''I believe that everybody who loves Arsenal wants all our strong players to stay at the club.''

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