The Gunners inserted the clause when selling Fabregas to Barcelona for £35m in 2011 and were given first refusal after Barca decided he could leave.
It is understood Fabregas, 27, was keen to return to Arsenal but manager Arsene Wenger is not looking to recruit a creative midfielder.
The decision raises the prospect of the player joining one of Arsenal's rivals.
Mesut Ozil arrived at Arsenal from Real Madrid last summer for a club-record £42.4m on a five-year contract, while the likes of Aaron Ramsey, Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Tomas Rosicky are all part of Wenger's plans.
Arsenal's priority is to bring in a striker to compete with Olivier Giroud and a right-back to replace Bacary Sagna, with goalkeeping cover also needed after the exit of Lukasz Fabianski.
Their stance means Fabregas, who is available for £30m, is now open to the market.
The Spaniard, who started his career at Barcelona and still has two years of his existing contract to run, has been linked with Chelsea following the departure of Frank Lampard and his future is expected to be decided in the next two or three weeks.
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