LONDON -- Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted he is powerless to prevent Bacary Sagna leaving the club this summer, after confirming the Gunners are no closer to securing a new contract with the France international.#INSERT
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caption:Bacary Sagna has impressed at Arsenal after Arsene Wenger signed him in 2007.
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Sagna’s current Arsenal deal expires this summer and the full-back has been heavily linked with a move to Premier League rivals Manchester City, as well as French giants Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco.
Wenger’s update on Sagna’s future suggested he is losing belief the player he signed from Auxerre in 2007 will extend his stay with the Gunners.
“At the moment, [the talks] are not progressing,” he told his prematch news conference. “We know what we want from him.
“He knows what’s on the table and that’s where we are. The ball is not in our camp any more, it’s in his camp and he has to come back to us.”
Wenger would not be drawn on his ambitions to sign French striker Loic Remy, who will be available this summer when his loan spell with Newcastle expires.
Remy has impressed during his season with Alan Pardew’s side and ahead of his clash with Newcastle at Emirates Stadium on Monday, Wenger did not want to comment on his potential interest in signing the 27-year-old from his parent club Queens Park Rangers.
“He’s a good striker,” he said. “At the moment, we are focused on our end of season, not of transfers.”
Wenger went on to confirm midfielder Abou Diaby suffered "a small groin problem" after he played 45 minutes of his comeback game for Arsenal’s under-21 side earlier this week, but he offered more positive news on the fitness of Jack Wilshere.
The England international is on course to recover in time to be available for next summer’s World Cup finals, with Wenger content with his progress as the midfielder recovers from a cracked bone in his foot.
“Jack is progressing well,” added Wenger. “He’s still on course to be in our team for the last couple of games.”
Wenger reported no fresh injury concerns ahead of the Newcastle game on Monday, with Thomas Vermaelen likely to return after his recent injury problems.