Arsène Wenger says keeping star players is Arsenal's transfer priority

Arsène Wenger has admitted his priority at Arsenal in the summer transfer market is to retain his star players, as he continues to face questions over Samir Nasri's intentions, not to mention those of Cesc Fábregas.

There is little doubt that the Arsenal manager's attitude in relation to Nasri, whose contract expires in June 2012, has changed, from a position of relaxed confidence a few months ago to one of curt defensiveness. Arsenal had been expected to announce that the midfielder had agreed fresh terms in February only for nothing to materialise and it was then agreed that further negotiations would be postponed until the end of the season. Nasri's form has tailed off during the period.

If it feels risky, to say the least, for the club to allow one of their key performers to enter the final 12 months of his deal, then it is also ominous to see Nasri linked to the leading clubs in Spain.

"I never speak about the conversations I have with the players," he said, when asked about whether Nasri had given him any assurances that he wanted to re-sign. "I will do everything possible to make him stay."

Wenger said he was hopeful of keeping Nasri but he added that there was no gentleman's agreement in place for that to happen. He confirmed that talks remained on hold until after the club's final game of the season, away to Fulham on Sunday week.

Gaël Clichy is another Arsenal regular with one year to run on his contract who is keeping his options open – Juventus have shown they want to sign him – while Fábregas continues to be linked with a move away, after another trophyless season. Manchester City are the latest club to be credited with a serious interest in him.

"That doesn't worry me," Wenger said. "I haven't heard that, I have not seen that anywhere. If they want to buy a player, the best way is to call me. The first target is not to weaken our team but to strengthen it.

"We are looking to strengthen every year [but] first, we look not to weaken because we want to keep all our players, and then try to strengthen. It's not the number [of new signings], it's the quality. I don't want to give out a number."

The postmortem has already opened on Arsenal's season but Wenger stressed the importance of seeing out the final two matches, starting with Saturday's visit of Aston Villa, to ensure that they finished in third place, at least, to avoid the need to play a qualifying tie to enter the Champions League group phase. They are two points clear of fourth-placed City. "It is ideal not to play an important game in pre-season," he said.

Looking ahead to next season, Wenger predicted another struggle, in which nothing could be guaranteed. "People take it for granted that we are in the top four every year but, believe me, it is hard work," he said. "It is not guaranteed for anyone to be in there – not even Manchester United."

With Laurent Koscielny injured, Thomas Vermaelen is in line to make his first appearance for the club since last August.

Source: David Hytner, The Guardian on 14 May 11