Barca Chief Taunts Gunners Over Cesc Fabregas Deal

Barcelona vice-president Josep Maria Bartomeu is delighted of their capture of Cesc Fabregas this summer and believes the La Liga champions got their man on the cheap.

The Catalans chief suggests the playmaker is worth at least €60million. The 24-year-old midfielder returned to his boyhood club this summer for an initial fee of €29m (£25.4m) after an eight-year spell with Arsenal. Bartomeu told Sport:

“The transfer of Cesc was a very good deal for us. Normally his price wouldn’t have been €29m, but he lowered his value by saying that he really wanted to go to Barcelona. His real price was what Arsenal initially asked. He’s worth at least €60m in my opinion.

“Transfer negotiations are like poker. Ideally, nothing is leaked to the press, but that seems to be impossible because of all the parties that are involved.

“The fact that we announced in advance that we would only spend €45m [£39.5m] this summer worked to our advantage. Clubs were already well aware of our stance.”

Submitted by Football Friends