Arsenal Transfer Rumours: How Will Fabregas' Departure Impact Gunners' Plans?

After nearly three years of stops, starts and maybes, the saga surrounding Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas' potential move to Barcelona appears to be drawing to a close today, in a move that figures to have a massive impact on the club's plans for next season and the roster as a whole.

With his coffers flush with cash, manager Arsene Wenger has no excuse not to go and get the defensive help this team is desperate for.  

According to reports from the Daily Mail, The Guardian and BBC Sport, the Gunners have nearly completed a deal that would send Fabregas to the Spanish champions.

The deal would cost the Catalan club £30 million, plus another £5 million in incentive fees if certain milestones are met. While no confirmation has come from either club officially, the BBC report states that the deal could be completed shortly. 

If it's true, it brings an end to one of the wildest, strangest, most drawn out transfer sagas in the sport's history. The Catalan juggernauts have been angling to snag their prodigal prodigy from the instant he left Barca at age 15. We heard both sides delivering impassioned pleas for Fabregas to go or stay, but until this week, there were no indications a deal was near.

Now that it appears likely that Fabregas is as good as gone, what will the Gunners do? How will this move impact their plans?

For the players already at Arsenal, it frees up plenty of playing time in the midfield for a plethora of talented players. Young talents like Aaron Ramsey, Ryo Miyaichi and newly acquired Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could all see serious jumps in playing opportunities with Fabregas in Spain again. It would also see Samir Nasri slide into the central attacking role in Arsenal's midfield. 

For Nasri, it may bring an end to any speculation that he's leaving the Gunners. Wenger wouldn't want to risk an outright revolt by letting his two most talented young players bolt at the same time, and could use Nasri's talents in the central midfield. 

But the impact won't just be felt on the roster currently; the influx of cash coming in will also ensure that the Gunners go hunting for new pieces.

Players like Valencia winger Juan Mata and Costa Rican sensation Joel Campbell have been on the Gunners' radar for quite some time, and they could help fill the void left by Fabregas in the midfield and on the offensive end of the pitch.

The Gunners could also us the funds to bolster their defense, which remains their biggest area of need without question. Bolton's Gary Cahill, Birmingham's Scott Dann, Blackburn's Chris Samba and Newcastle's Jose Enrique are all on the Gunners' radar, and with all of the cash from the Fabregas deal going back into the club, any combination of the quartet are on the board at this point. 

While losing the talented Spanish captain would be a tremendous blow to the Gunners' hopes, it's not the end of the world. They're unbelievably deep in the midfield, and flush with young talent capable of helping to fill the void. Guys like Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain and even potential newcomer Mata all have the skill to step into the midfield and make a major contribution immediately. 

As long as Wenger goes out and uses the funds from selling Fabregas to get defensive help, the blow shouldn't be too bad for Arsenal. They remain an incredibly talented club on the offensive end of the pitch, and with the coffers officially flush with cash, the Gunners have the capability to grab as much help as they think they need. 

I wouldn't say that losing Fabregas makes the Gunners better; when you lose a world-class talent like him, it's going to be a big blow. But with the talent still on the market and on the roster, the Gunners won't be devastated by the prodigal prodigy returning to the Nou Camp.