With Cesc Fabregas edging closer to a move to Barcelona, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger confessed he is yet to think about who would take over as captain if the Catalan leaves.

Speaking in his pre-Newcastle press conference, the Frenchman revealed that the midfielder is not injured but will not feature against the Magpies as he’s not match fit adding the the Dutchman will captain the team at St. James Park but with no indication that he will continue in the role.

Asked how easy it is to replace “big players”, the Arsenal boss confessed that losing big players is never easy although it gives other players the opportunity to take responsibility and show new qualities.

On whether he would step down as Arsenal manager if he ends a seventh season without a trophy, Wenger concluded by saying that he’s not the one to decide on his position again insisting and promising that as Arsenal manager he will continue to give his best.

On Friday afternoon, Wenger said:

[Cesc Fabregas] is not injured, not match fit. [How is he mentally?] I don’t want to go into any deeper thinking about that. [On strike?] No, not at all. Tomorrow, van Persie will be captain. [van Persie captain in the future?] I haven’t even thought about that.

We are all replaceable. A big player attracts the game to him, sometimes other people stand up and take more responsibility and your game is a little bit different but not less efficient but you do not want to lose big players, when we have them we don’t want to lose them.

At the moment we have two big squads, too many players. There is a strange thing, I don’t believe that people who watch football are conscious of what is going on in the world, you have 350 players in England who have no job and we have a massive squad, we are not in a position where we are short of players.

[Consider my position if we don't win a trophy?] It’s not down to me, I’m here to give my best, as long as I can, I will do that, I promise you.