Talk of Fabregas leaving us has to stop says frustrated Wenger

The Gunners opened their pre-season campaign with a comfortable 4-0 win at npower League Two side Barnet where Wenger continued to be dogged by the question of the future of his World Cup winner, who has been given some extra time off after his exertions in South Africa.

Fabregas, who has five years still to run on his contract, may have told Wenger before the World Cup he wanted to return to the Nou Camp, but Arsenal remain determined to retain the services of their captain and have already knocked back one 30m offer.

New Barcelona president Sandro Rosell said the Spanish club would not "go mad" to land their former youth team player, who was embarrassingly forced into a Barcelona shirt during Spain's victory celebrations in Madrid.

The Arsenal fans displayed an X-rated anti-Barcelona banner at Underhill, and Wenger has been left unimpressed by the public courting of his captain, as a string of Barcelona players, many of whom are international team-mates of the World Cup winner, urged Fabregas to complete a move 'home' to the club he left as a 16-year-old.

"There was a lot of unneeded talk. It is not pleasant to read that every day. Now, the story has to stop," Wenger declared.

"Cesc is our captain, he is so important to us and we want to keep him, that is why we were not listening to any offers.

"It was not a problem of money, just the desire to keep him at the club."

Wenger added: "I believe Cesc loves the club (Arsenal), has shown his attachment to the club many times and I am very confident the story will end there.

"We want Cesc to be part of our club next year, and that is it."

Arsenal gave debuts to summer signings Laurent Koscielny and Marouane Chamakh this afternoon as the Gunners ran out comfortable winners.