Andrei Arshavin wonders if he has received a parting gift from Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas

Andrei Arshavin, Arsenal (Getty Images)

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Andrei Arshavin has thrown interesting light on the future of Arsenal team-mate Cesc Fabregas by speculating over his future at the club to reporters.

Consistently linked with a move away from the Emirates, Fabregas and Arsenal fans look set to endure another summer of transfer tribulations and Arshavin admitted players had received an end of season gift from their captain, who refused to deny it was a parting gesture.

“Only Cesc should decide if he leaves or not,” Arshavin told reporters. “Serious conversations on this topic in the team were not made – well, we joked a bit, as usual.

“Before leaving on vacation, Fabregas gave little gifts to each player and I asked him, ‘What is this? A parting gift?’ He said nothing. It says there is something behind this silence.”

Fabregas only managed three league goals for the Gunners during the recent campaign and his error for Barcelona’s opening goal in the Champions League quarter-final at the Camp Nou compounded a miserable season for the World Cup winning Spaniard.

The all-conquering Catalans remain the most likely bidder for the Arsenal captain’s services having made bids last summer but how much they are likely to offer is unknown as Giuseppe Rossi and Alexis Sanchez are also rumoured to be on Pep Guardiola’s shopping list.