'... to be sorted very quickly'

In tonight's interview snippet on arsenal.com, manager Arsène Wenger looks like he hasn't slept last night and doesn't expect to tonight either.

He says he expects the future of Cesc Fábregas to be 'sorted very quickly one way or the other'. He says that the situation for Samir Nasri is 'stable' (as if he lay in hospital!) but admitting that he would ideally have it sorted before the season starts.

Wenger's wording is still very careful, far more careful than anyone else's. Most English media are already adding up rumoured European transfer fees to guess how many Arsenal can afford to sign after the sales have been made. It seems most fans also believe the deals are done, and on Twitter many rude goodbyes can be read.

I have been disappointed with Arsenal's communications strategy this summer. As always the club refuse to comment on any speculation, wild or true. I've many times written that it makes them vulnerable for lots of rumours. At the same time, the manager and CEO have tried to be honest about the transfer window in general terms. Here they have fallen into a trap.

Statements about 'a very active transfer window', 'an ambitious club' who want to 'keep their players' and the desire to be done with the dealings early in the window hike up the expectations. Especially after the whimpering end to last season, the club should know that the fans are expecting proper strengthening of the first team squad, not least when it comes to depth and competition for places.

But instead of basing any communication strategy on the mood of the club's surroundings, they seem to have stumbled from press briefing to press briefing with only the latest news and hopes to report.

It's all well and good to never respond to speculation. But in that case, it's better to shut up altogether and never comment anything that hasn't been confirmed. Boring, yes, but impossible to misunderstand at least among serious fans and media.

But the club must remember that speculation cannot be controlled. and that everyone around Arsenal get involved in it. If there are to be answers given, they need to be coherent. And for that to happen, the thinking behind the strategy needs to be coherent. I'm sure it is, but it doesn't look like that from the outside.

A press conference is called tomorrow, earlier than the usual pre-match briefings, at 9 AM. Speculations are wild. While 'everyone' now suggests that Fábregas and Nasri are about to leave, that briefing may bring confirmation. But is Wenger to be believed - and he deserves that belief so much more than the English media! - no decisions have been made either way yet.

There might be players coming in as well, and personally I have a strong feeling that Arsenal aren't waiting for the two wantaway stars to let themselves be persuaded to stay. It looks to me as they're only waiting on replacements to be confirmed. As selling them both equals 'not being ambitious', it's a PR nightmare to actually sell them without new stars coming in at the same time.

However, Thursday's rumours have been about the Birmingham defender Scott Dann, the Brazilian international midfielder Jadson of Shakthar Donetsk and the usual suspects Juan Mata and Gary Cahill. Absurdly, Wenger is also quoted in the respectable German sports paper Kicker as saying that Arsenal have four central defenders and have no need of Per Mertesacker.

I hope for as long as I can that this is just spin, and a part of an Arsenal communication strategy I really don't understand.