Arsene Wenger plans Bacary Sagna contract talks

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed that the club have held preliminary talks with Bacary Sagna's agent in a bid to extend the defender's contract.

Sagna's deal at the Emirates Stadium expires next summer, leading to speculation that the French international will become the latest player to leave North London at the end of this season.

Wenger has insisted that he plans to persuade Sagna to stay at Arsenal and was encouraged by early talks with the player's representatives.

He told the club's official website: "Our desire is to keep Bacary Sagna and he knows that.

"We will sit down with him and we did already sit down with his agent, and we didn't get a [negative] vibe out of it."

The 30-year-old has been a permanent fixture at right-back for the Gunners since signing from Auxerre in 2007.