ARSENE WENGER has vowed to “fight very hard” to keep captain Cesc Fabregas at the club next season.

Arsenal are ending a sixth campaign without silverware, but Wenger warned there is no guarantee of success if the player chooses to move elsewhere.

“I expect him to be here, and I will fight very hard to keep him here,” said Wenger. “You have always to fight when you have a player of that quality. You must always fight to keep your players.”

Arsenal’s season went off the rails after they lost the League Cup final 2-1 to Birmingham City at Wembley 12 weeks ago.

They are no longer guaranteed a place in the Champions League group stage next season because they have fallen into fourth place in the Premier League behind FA Cup winners Manchester City.

Even if Arsenal win their final match of the season at Fulham on Sunday, a City victory at Bolton would leave the Gunners having to qualify for the Champions League proper.

Wenger is expected to bring in some experienced players over the summer to help his young squad, but will also face another couple of months fending off speculation that Fabregas, a perennial target for Barcelona, is to leave.

But Wenger said: “What guarantees you that if you go somewhere else you will win trophies? The biggest pride for a captain is to be committed to his club and deliver trophies with his team.

“A player who changes his club every time he is frustrated or when he doesn’t win a trophy, goes nowhere. I believe the quality of sports life is to be committed to your club and not just to move out when it does not go as well as you expected.”

“Cesc Fabregas played 22 games this season out of 38 and we expect him to play between 30 and 38. That will make a huge difference to our efficiency next season as well.”