Arsene Wenger sure Cesc Fabregas deal will be done soon

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admits it will not be long before the protracted transfer of captain Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona is resolved.

After remaining steadfast in their demands over a 40million fee for their talisman midfielder, Arsenal now look set to have to accept a cut-price deal to offload the unsettled Spaniard.

The package is reported to include a down payment of 30 million euros (27million), with an additional six million euros (5.2m) in performance-based add-ons, and is expected to be pushed through ahead of tomorrow afternoon's Barclays Premier League opener at Newcastle.

"We hope it will be sorted out very quickly one way or the other. We will know very quickly," Wenger confirmed . Were Fabregas - who missed the Asia tour and all of pre-season because, officially at least, he was troubled by a hamstring problem - to feature in next week's first leg of Arsenal's Champions League play-off against Udinese, the midfielder would be ineligible for any other side later in the competition, suggesting the deal will be done before then.

Fabregas joined Arsenal as a raw youngster for nothing from Barcelona in 2003, and has made more than 300 appearances, scoring 57 goals, but the World Cup winner has yet to taste club success.

Midfielder Samir Nasri, meanwhile, has yet to pen a new deal, and so could leave for nothing next summer. Manchester City are reported to be ready to bid up to 25m for the France international.