Scott Dann is set to make an imminent move to Arsenal

Arsenal assistant manager Pat Rice and chief scout Steve Rowley watched Birmingham centre half Scott Dann play in a friendly match against Tottenham and have set their sights on the player. While Arsenal scrambles for Dann, Andrey Arshavin has admitted it would be an "enormous" loss for Arsenal to see captain Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri leave. Barcelona are looking to complete the transfer of their former trainee before the new Barclays Premier League starts this weekend, but Arsenal remain steadfast in a £40million valuation. France international Nasri has yet to agree a contract extension with Manchester City ready to offer £22m for the midfielder, who could leave on a free next summer.

Arshavin, part of the Russia squad for today's friendly against Serbia in Moscow, accepts there is little any club can do when a player has his heart set on a move away. "The policy of our club [next season] is the same, but it is difficult to say anything specific now, not least from the fact that two leading players, Cesc and Samir, have not decided their future," Arshavin said in an interview with Russian newspaper Sport Express. "The loss of any one of them would be enormous, and we naturally want to see Cesc and Samir play with us in the future - but if the player wants to leave the club.... "It is hard to say [whether they will stay]."

Arshavin, however, rejected suggestions he was set to leave Emirates Stadium, reports having linked the former Zenit St Petersburg winger with a move to Anzhi Makhachkala, who are bankrolled by billionaire owner Suleyman Kerimov, captained by former Brazil World Cup winner Roberto Carlos and recently signed Yuri Zhirkov from Chelsea. "I have already said that this season I am sure to be at Arsenal, and not somewhere else," added Arshavin, 30, who signed for the Gunners in January 2009. "If I ever return to Russia, then the priority option for me will be Zenit - but no-one can predict what will happen to you in the future, in a few years or even a season. As the saying goes: if you want to make God laugh - tell him about your plans for tomorrow."

With or without key men Fabregas and Nasri, Arshavin accepts Arsenal will face a testing campaign ahead as they look to remain competitive. "The season will very difficult. I think that six teams will challenge for the top spot," he said. "The main thing, though, is to win any title with Arsenal." Like most Premier League sides, the Gunners have plenty of their first-team squad away on international duty. Ahead of Saturday's trip to Newcastle, which could yet be postponed due to the civil unrest currently sweeping across the country, Arsenal will check on the fitness of midfielder Jack Wilshere, who was forced to pull out of the England squad because of an ankle problem.