Nasri's demand to be made highest paid player is unlikely to go well with Arsenal.
Nasri's demand to be made highest paid player is unlikely to go well with Arsenal. Reuters

With Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas both looking to leave Arsenal, the Gunners are looking to settle matters quickly so as to plan for the season ahead.

Nasri won't be allowed to leave without a fight though. Arsenal's majority shareholder Stan Kroenke is willing to open his cheque book in an attempt to tempt Nasri to stay. According to The Daily Mirror, the France international is asking for an extra £20,000-per-week over the £90,000 the club have offered the Frenchman.

Though they were initially unwilling to meet his demands, the reported interest of arch-rivals Manchester United, who are looking to fill the gap left by the retired Paul Scholes, is understood to have softened their stance. The report says that Kroenke will offer Nasri something close to the £110,000-per-week he demands, inclusive of performance related bonuses.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has also pressurized Nasri to stay, suggesting that he remains loyal to the club that made him the player he is today.

Contrastingly, a report in footybunker.com suggests that the Gunners will listen to offers for the 23-year-old if it meets the £25m-plus asking price, though they made it clear that he won't be sold to another Premiership club. With only one year remaining in his contract, and with negotiations moot between the player and the club, Arsenal are likely to sell the player, with Bayern Munich rumoured to be interested.

Elsewhere, Arsenal, along with Liverpool, are reportedly interested in Saint-Etienne striker Emmanuel Riviere, who has been compared to Gunner legend Thierry Henry. The 21-year-old was flattered by the prospect of joining 'big' clubs, but seemed most excited at the prospect of joining Arsenal.

I am flattered to be linked with the clubs mentioned, he told Sky Sports. I am a young player, so to be linked with Arsenal is fantastic for me. If Arsene Wenger is interested in you it means you have potential to be a very good player. People compare me to Thierry Henry and that is a big compliment. If I can achieve half of his career I will be happy.

However, rumours linking Arsenal to Lorient striker Kevin Gameiro will end after he joined Paris Saint Germain on a four-year deal.

Finally, the Gunners pacey-Russian Andrei Arshavin has added to rumours of Fabregas departing Arsenal after pointing out that the skipper gave his teammates a gift at the end of last season, and was coy when asked whether it was a parting gift.

Arshavin told reporters, Only Cesc should decide if he leaves or not. Serious conversations on this topic in the team were not made - well, we joked a bit, as usual.

Before leaving on vacation, Fabregas gave little gifts to each player and I asked him, 'What is this? A parting gift?' He said nothing. It says there is something behind this silence.