Arsenal Transfer Rumors: Gervinho, Samir Nasri, Cesc Fabregas and the Latest

Arsenal is in a tough spot with both Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri leaving possibly as soon as this week.

Rumors have been swirling around these two midfielders for quite some time, yet both situations are unresolved.  

Manager Arsene Wenger is looking to bring in fresh new talent to both persuade his stars to stick around and as contingency plans if one or both depart.

Here are seven transfer rumors surrounding Emirates.

Deal Complete: Gael Clichy to Manchester City

Manchester City announced Monday that they had reached an agreement to acquire Gael Clichy. The deal is reportedly worth about £7 million.

The 25-year-old defender had one year left on his contract, but showed no interest in signing an extension. The Gunners were left no choice but to deal him and get as much of a return as possible for the French fullback.

Clichy's deal will keep him in Eastlands for four years. His presence further strengthens a Man City squad that definitely has its eyes set on the Premier League crown. 

Inter Milan Hijack Move for Ricky Alvarez

Arsenal looked set to grab Ricky Alvarez after he tweeted that it would be "a dream" to play for Arsenal.

But then Inter Milan swooped in and nabbed the Argentinian playmaker, who will travel to Italy today to complete his five-year £11.5 million deal.

The 23-year-old attacking midfielder is exactly what Arsene Wenger needed as a potential replacement for either Samir Nasri or Cesc Fabregas. Losing him to Inter is a blow for sure.

Wenger to Make Move for Thiago Motta

Arsene Wenger is hopeful that Thiago Motta has become expendable now that Inter have Ricky Alvarez.

The 28-year-old central midfielder certainly has experience playing at a high level of competition, with stints at Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Genoa and Inter, something Wenger craves in his players.

Motta has a £9.5 million release clause in his contract. Since Inter is making a youth movement this offseason, they may be willing to let their central midfielder go without a fuss.

Mathieu Valbuena a Possible Replacement for Samir Nasri

The French Paper L’Equipe reports that Arsenal will bid for Mathieu Valbuena, currently valued at £20 million, if fellow French midfielder Samir Nasri leaves North London.

The 26-year-old Frenchman is two years older than Nasri, but can play attacking midfielder or winger, just like his countryman.

The downside to Valbuena is that he is only 5'6". After Wenger has publicly stated his desire to get bigger to improve set piece play, it seems unlikely the Marseilles midfielder would end up on Arsenal next season.

In addition, £20 million is a pretty high asking price for a guy who has only scored 15 goals in 125 appearances for his current team.

Deal Complete: Gervinho to Arsenal

According to The Daily Mail, Arsenal have finally completed a transfer for Lille striker Gervinho, reportedly worth £11.2 million.

Gervinho led Lille to their first Ligue 1 Championship in 57 years, scoring 15 goals and logging 10 assists over the course of the season.

The 24-year-old forward chose Arsenal because he was interested in the Premier League, which he considers "a notch above" Ligue 1, and he couldn't resist the lure of Champions League play.

The Gervinho signing is terrific for Arsenal fans who have only had bad news to read about for the past several weeks.

Cesc Fabregas Talks Stalling

Barcelona and Arsenal have reached a sticking point in their negotiations over Gunner Captain Cesc Fabregas.

Barça want the Spanish star for £35 million, but Arsenal are unwilling to sell for a penny less than £40 million.

The delay is causing a headache for the European Champions, as they want the Spanish playmaker under wraps before Real Madrid, Chelsea or Man City can take advantage of the situation and submit offers of their own.

Fabregas has repeated adamantly that he only wishes to play for Barcelona, the squad with which he can his career.

Samir Nasri to Manchester City

According to The Daily Mail, Manchester City officials are confident they will soon acquire Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri for £19 million.

This story is in only a day after Arsene Wenger told Nasri that he wasn't going anywhere. Arsenal officials were echoing the message, telling Nasri's representatives and other clubs that the French midfielder would remain in Arsenal at least one more year.

Not selling Nasri is a bold and potentially foolhardy move—if the 24-year-old truly wants out of North London, then he would be eligible to leave on a free transfer when his contract expires next summer.

It appears Arsenal have exhausted their options with Nasri, and are attempting merely to get some sort of return on their playmaker.