Arsenal: If Cesc Fabregas Leaves, Here Are 15 Guys Who Can Replace Him

With the opening of the 2010 summer transfer window just a few days away, Arsenal are planning ahead in case of a departure by Cesc Fabregas.

With many outlets linking Fabregas to a move back to the Catalan club Barcelona, Arsene Wenger and company are looking for a potential replacement.

It looks prominent that Fabregas will leave Arsenal as Barcelona is looking to up its offer to Arsenal. With a deal that could be worth €35 million. Arsenal might be silly not to deal him away.

Here are 15 guys who could come in and replace him from day one.

Mesut Oezil

Fresh from World Cup group stage success, this 21-year-old is looking to make a huge splash into the lineup of a star-studded club. Oezil currently plays for Werder Bremen.

He is a talented player who has a great vision for the game. Also Wenger will be able to develop him into his own style of play since he is only 21.

The only problem is that before the start of the World Cup Wenger stated that he would not sign any players from the Cup who have a great performance. Their performances at the World Cup may only be short-lived and investing a lot of money into such players may be risky in the end.

Stephen Ireland

Voted Manchester City's Player of the Year in 2008-09 and narrowly missing out on PFA's Young Player of the Year, Ireland would be able to make a huge splash in the midfield for Wenger.

Linking up with Song and Diaby would potentially turn Arsenal's midfield into a dangerous threat to score every time down the field.

Also, he would only cost the club a mere €9 million. At the same time he is only 23 years old and has yet to peak in his performance.

Yoann Gourcuff

Another 23-year-old, Yoann Gourcuff plays for Ligue 1 Bordeaux. He has also had stints at AC Milan and Rennes. Gourcuff is mainly an attacking midfielder and can also play as a withdrawn striker. That could fit very well with the lineup Wenger plays.

In the past two seasons he has netted 24 goals and 25 assists. The only downside is that his club will be asking a heavy price tag because he is still a young player who just recently made his international debut.

Ronaldinho

Although age is a huge factor with Ronaldinho, he is one of the most experienced players in the world.

He has won FIFA player of the year and the UEFA Champions League. He would also fit into the free-flowing style of game Wenger likes to play. With his experience and knowledge of the game teaming up with Wenger this could be another Henry-Wenger team up that has success in the name.

Besides his age being a downfall, he hasn't played much in the last year for AC Milan. This could come into play with the rough style of play the EPL has to offer.

Rafael Van Der Vaart

Van Der Vaart is a middle-aged player from Real Madrid who has fallen to hard times and lack of playing time.

After only scoring six goals last season, he will need to get back into form before fitting into Wenger's style of play.

A huge plus would be that he would be able to play alongside fellow Dutchman Van Persie. Their knowledge of each other would allow them to link up through the midfield and create many opportunities on goal.

This could be a signing that could lift Arsenal over the hump to a trophy for which they have been looking for a long time.

Samir Nasri

Another 23-year-old player who plays for Arsenal, Nasri could be the ideal pick for Wenger to replace Fabregas as he is already been molded into a typical Arsenal player.

He has great vision and mobility on the field. At the same time his playing style has been linked to the great Robert Pires.

He scored 12 goals and racked up 10 assists in the last two season for Arsenal. He has still yet to hit his full stride, and if Wenger were to use him to replace Fabregas he could open up and become a dominant player the same way Fabregas did after the departure of Thierry Henry.

Mikel Arteta

Hailing from Everton, Arteta is a 28-year-old winger has a great sense of style and attack. He would bring along with him a killer pass that he can connect with anyone at any time and his amazing crossing abilities.

Arteta has been touted to be able to hit a dime on the opposite side of the pitch with his killer crosses. This could be a huge plus for Wenger especially on free kicks alongside Van Persie.

Although he has only appeared in 13 matches in the last season for Everton, he still managed to score six goals. If he were able to regain his form this could be a cheap quick signing for Wenger.

Eden Hazard

Known for his raw talent and blazing speed, Hazard is touted to be the next Ronaldo.

The 19-year-old has already been linked to a move with Arsenal although Barcelona and Manchester United have been looking more into this player and are looking to sign him too. If Wenger wants to make his move, he needs to do it fast.

Hazard is the ideal player for Wenger: He is young and can be bought for cheap price. This will allow Wenger to mold him into the Arsenal style of play. He could also prove to be a deadly goal scorer, which is something Arsenal needs.

Steven Gerrard

The signing of Steven Gerrard would bring a lot of knowledge and experience into the Arsenal midfield. Gerrard no questions asked has the experience that Arsenal so badly lacks.

The question is, is Gerrard past his prime? With a lackluster performance in the World Cup, would Arsenal be able to wrestle him away from Liverpool for a reasonable price tag?

With financial troubles in Liverpool, a sale of Gerrard will give them the cash they need to help build a team around star Fernando Torres. This will help them keep Torres from leaving the club after they failed to qualify for the Champions League.

Gerrard could be the signing Wenger has been looking for all this time. You never know what is truly going on in Wenger's head.

Diego

The 25-year-old midfielder appeared in 33 matches and scored five goals for Serie A side Juventus last season.

The Brazilian international would command a hefty asking price of €21 million, which could ultimately be the biggest reason preventing this player from joining Arsenal.

With Juventus failing to qualify for the Champions League, Diego is expected to make a move to a club who can provide this for him as he looks to win the ultimate club trophy.

With his desire to win the Champions League and Arsenal's recent failures, Diego may be able to get Arsenal past that last hump.

Javier Pastore

Currently playing for Serie A side Palermo and Argentina's national side, Pastore is a regular second-half sub for his club team.

The signing of Pastore would be a huge stretch for Wenger as he is currently under contract with Palermo for five years until 2014.

Although if Wenger were to play his cards right and offer Pastore a chance to shine in the Arsenal starting XI and a chance to play in the Champions League, he may be able to snag this player out of his current deal for a decent price.

Yaya Toure

Toure could come at a cheap price for Wenger if he were included in a package deal from Barcelona for Fabregas.

Toure would be able to link up with Song and Diaby in the midfield to create a potentially deadly force. If this were to happen Toure would provide a strong physical presence that Arsenal is currently lacking.

The only downside is that Arsenal would have to look elsewhere for goals. Toure isn't known to be one that produces handfuls of goals.

If Wenger were to sign Toure, he would also have to sign another player to replace the goals he would be missing from Fabregas.

Marek Hamsik

The 22-year-old Hamsik is known for scoring—not just one or two goals here and there but handsful of goals throughout the season.

With his abilities to score huge amounts of goals and his desire to play in a three-man midfield, this could be a potential fit for Wenger. Also if he were to move into Arsenal, he would have more freedom to go forward and score goals.

At his current club Napoli, he is hindered by lack of midfield depth and therefore can't go forward at his own will.

Jack Wilshere

A young talented youth player, Wilshere has received praise from Fabio Capello and Arsene Wenger.

This English-born 18-year-old is currently on loan to Bolton. Wenger believes he could be the next player to step into the starting XI and replace Fabregas in the midfield. Although he is young and lacks necessary experience, he has the raw talent.

If he is molded correctly, Wilshere could become one of the biggest English stars ever. With a huge outcry by the FA for EPL teams to play more English-born players, Wilshere would address this concern perfectly.

Also he would be a cheap player for Wenger to keep on his side if he choose to do so.

Thierry Henry

With the end of his career looming, could we see a comeback from former Arsenal legend Thierry Henry?

He would be able to come into the starting XI and produce for Wenger with no questions asked. The only question some would be asking is, is he fit for the EPL? He hasn't seen much playing time in the last year at Barcelona as he sat on the bench most of the season.

Also Henry didn't get much playing time for France in the World Cup—even though France wasn't too impressive at all. The biggest upside would be the supporters. Not one would argue this signing from a spectator's point of view.