The Gunners completed their pre-season campaign against Sevilla in the Amsterdam Tournament on Saturday night, when a youthful side did enough to earn a draw that secured a successful defence of the title.

Wenger, though, will recall his big guns for the clash against Steve McClaren's FC Twente in Arnhem on Wednesday.

However, following the departures of veteran Gilberto and last season's midfield mainstay Mathieu Flamini, Wenger accepts, with the current injury situation, his squad are "one body short" in the centre.

Abou Diaby looked the prime candidate to step into the midfield void, but the Frenchman is facing around a month on the sidelines because of a thigh injury.

With £12million summer signing Samir Nasri - who could play more central - another struggling for full match fitness ahead of the Champions League game, Wenger is likely to go with the pairing that worked well against hosts Ajax on Friday evening, when Arsenal fought back from 2-0 down to record a morale-boosting victory.

It is, though, something of a gamble, as Euro 2008 winner Fabregas has only managed around 80 minutes of match practice following extra time off after his exploits with Spain this summer, while 20-year-old Denilson is still learning his trade, having made only four starts in the Barclays Premier League last season.

Yet Wenger maintains he has seen enough to merit selecting the combination against Twente for the first leg of the tie, which is crucial to the campaign ahead for the Emirates Stadium club.

"Diaby will not be available for the start of the season, so we will have to work on some things which I saw on Friday night. It worked well with Denilson and Fabregas," said the Arsenal manager.

"You cannot say after just one match, you need a run of games to see if it [partnership] will work, but I am confident it will."

Wenger is sure Fabregas is up to the challenge, but warned against putting too much expectation on the highly-rated 21-year-old Spaniard.

"Cesc has worked very hard since he has come back," said Wenger.

"You cannot say he will be at his best, but he will be fit enough.

"To win big trophies makes you more confident and gives you something you can pass on to the team around you.

"At 21 he already has a lot of experience. He is an intelligent boy.

"But I would not like to put too much pressure on him.

"We know every single player in his area is very important.

"Cesc in midfield is a player now who has maybe more experience than the others."

Wenger maintains he has funds available to strengthen the squad should he choose.

However, any moves - which may or may not include Udinese's £8million-rated Swiss international Gokhan Inler or indeed Gareth Barry and Liverpool's Xabi Alonso, perhaps even Yaya Toure, brother of Arsenal defender Kolo - will now be put on hold until next week's game is over.

He said: "We are a body short, but it is not necessarily to play alongside Cesc. He can play alongside anybody.

"We try to find the right player. My target is always to spend the right money on the right player, therefore the timing on your buy is also important as well," he said.

"I do not know yet if it will be with the Swiss or somebody else - but it is not necessarily the Swiss boy, though."

Wenger, however, feels there will be healthy competition in his midfield ranks - when everyone is fully fit.

He said: "Do not forget we have Diaby, who is not available, [Alex] Song who is at the Olympics. He is a very good midfielder.

"We have Nasri and [Tomas] Rosicky, who were not in Amsterdam, [Amaury] Bischoff as well, so we have plenty of midfield players."