The transfer rumour above all others in the world of football: Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona? Arsenal fans have been dogged by this story for three years and during every transfer window there are almost daily developments in the story; today’s papers are alight with his quotes yesterday saying he was “optimistic” about the summer. In this piece I will examine the ins-and-outs of this transfer and attempt to determine whether or not the move that the entire footballing world expects to happen will do so this time around.
After surviving the last transfer window – during which Fabregas won with World Cup with Spain and celebrated in a Barcelona shirt – Arsenal fans must have thought that the worst was over and that Cesc had finally shaken off longings to join his boyhood club. However, after a patchy individual season as well as yet another trophy-less season for Arsenal, the speculation was quickly reignited when Barcelona were permitted by Arsenal to use their London Colney training ground ahead of the Champions League Final – during which time, Gerard Pique took the opportunity to tweet the picture below on the 26th May:
Since then, the war for the young Catalan has started, with bids between £27-33million rejected by Arsenal as early as June 2nd. Barca president and chief antagoniser for all gooners Sandro Rosell has been extremely vocal during this period as have a number of his players. Rosell told Catalan TV station TV3 that:
“I don’t know if we will sign Cesc or not. What I have no doubt of is that: he really wants to come to Barca, and that Cesc is worth less than 40 million. We will offer less than 40 million and if Arsenal don’t accept it, Cesc won’t come. This year we won’t offer the same as last year because a year has gone by and Cesc today is not worth 40 million.”
Rosell has pointed to the thigh injuries which have blighted Fabregas’ season as the reason for the lower bids, but a senior Arsenal official said on Monday “if it’s enough I expect we’ll have to sell”. However, Barca have also said they are not prepared to better an improved offer of £35 million that was made yesterday – this is not believed to be enough for Cesc to leave, whereas £40million could be. In response to this a number of stories have emerged: ranging from Fabregas surrendering his 15% signing on fee to make up the £40million to the more outlandish possible strike action by the Arsenal captain.
Finally, in regard to yesterday’s quotes, you can find them at their original source at this site. What the player really pertained to when saying “When a club puts a player on the market it is because they do not want them. I have no problems” is ambiguous; depending on how you look at it, this can be interpreted as Cesc being unhappy with being on the market or that he isn’t on the market, and henceforth has no problems.
In regard to whether or not Cesc will leave, clockendview believes it’s still on a knife-edge; Milan president Adriano Galliani thinks differently, pulling out of the running for his signature by ominously saying “Fabregas will not join us because he will join a different club”.
Although Thiago Alcantara of Barcelona (a player highly reminiscent of a young Fabregas) has just signed a four year contract extension many Barcelona players have called for the return of the former La Masia product and Cesc’s own words sum up the situation the best: “The transfer market? If something happens it is because it should happen.”
Submitted by Clockendview – just an Arsenal Blog
