Experienced full-back to be first casualty as Wenger prepares to overhaul his squad.
Arsenal are expected to sell full-back Bacary Sagna this summer as boss Arsene Wenger looks to overhaul his struggling squad, reports the Guardian.
Sagna, 30, is understood to be disappointed that the club have only offered a one-year contract extension to his current deal, which expires in the summer of 2014, and Ligue 1 leaders PSG are early front-runners for his signature.
The France international has excelled at times as an attacking right-back since joining the Gunners from Auxerre in 2007 but his impact has been dampened somewhat by the two leg breaks he suffered in separate incidents last season.
Question marks remain over Sagna’s fitness and the Frenchman is a doubt for Saturday’s visit of Aston Villa to the Emirates Stadium.
Boss Arsene Wenger hinted at lingering concerns over the full-back’s recovery last week, ahead the FA Cup defeat against Blackburn, a game which Sagna did not start.
“He has criticised his own form recently but the things you never question from Bacary are his commitment, his mental attitude, his desire to win and his intelligence,” Wenger is quoted as saying by the Guardian.
“If he has not been playing as he would expect, it is down to his injury. It takes time to come back, and he has played through a lot of pain – in fact, he is one of the strongest players I have met when it comes to doing that.
“He’s hugely respected here, and if he’s not at the level we know he can achieve then we are tolerant because we know it’s not down to a lack of commitment. It’s just because he has come back from a long-term injury.”
In September, Sagna spoke out against the club’s decision to sell Robin van Persie and Alex Song in the summer, bringing his future at the Emirates Stadium into doubt.
Wenger admitted at the time that he had spoken to the player and the Arsenal manager has now instructed chief scout Steve Rowley to draw up a list of potential replacements.
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