Late Attempt Made To Hijack Chelsea’s Fabregas Deal?

As we approach the opening of the summer window clubs will be intensifying their efforts in the transfer market so we’ll bring you all the latest news and gossip. Today, have Man Utd made a late move for Cesc Fabregas?

Manchester United have made a late bid to derail Chelsea’s move for Cesc Fabregas after offering the Barcelona midfielder a better financial package, according to Italian journalist Tancredi Palmari.

Fabregas is widely expected to leave Barcelona this summer after struggling to establish himself as a vital member of the first team following his move from Arsenal three years ago, and his inconsistent displays have led to frustration from the stands with sections of the Nou Camp faithful jeering the midfielder on several occasions last season.

Chelsea have emerged as the surprise front runners for the 27-year-old’s signature after Arsenal turned down the chance to exercise a first refusal buy-back option on their former skipper, with Arsene Wenger preferring to concentrate on strengthening other areas of his squad.

Reports over weekend suggested the Blues are trying to negotiate a deal worth around £27m but with the Catalans holding out for at least £30m, it looks like the west Londoners may have left the door open to a late hijack attempt.

Journalist Tancredi Palmeri – who works with Sky Italia and beIN Sports – has claimed this evening on Twitter that Manchester United have made a last ditch move to try and lure Fabregas to Old Trafford by offering the player better wages than Chelsea have so far put forward.

Palmeri does state that United are yet to table a formal offer to Barca, but he insists the deposed champions are working hard to try and gazump their Premier League rivals.

EXCLUSIVE: Manchester United have outbid the wages offered by Chelsea to Fabregas. Still no bid placed to Barcelona, who prefer Chelsea

— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) June 9, 2014

.@tomcfc4eva @ChelsLad95 Chelsea had everything almost done, Manchester United is literally trying a last minute hijacking

— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) June 9, 2014

It remains to be seen how much truth there is in Palmeri’s claims, but it would certainly be a major coup if United chiefs could secure Fabregas’s signature and make him Louis van Gaal’s first major signing this summer.

However, before United fans get too excited, the Times journalist James Ducker has responded to these reports on his own Twitter account by insisting United are NOT in for the Spanish midfielder – so it seems there is a lot of confusion surrounding the situation among the world-wide media.

United are not in for fabregas #mufc

— James Ducker (@DuckerTheTimes) June 9, 2014

It’s certainly an intriguing situation and it’s going to be interesting to see how this all plays out over the coming weeks. Fabregas is currently away with the Spain squad preparing for the World Cup and he’s likely to put any talks over his future on the back-burner if things aren’t resolved before their opener with Holland on Friday evening.

So unless Chelsea or United get a deal tied up in the next few days, it looks like Fabregas will continue to be a Barcelona player until after the World Cup, and this delay could even leave the door open to Arsenal making a u-turn.

READ MORE –> Arsenal transfer news | Chelsea transfer news | Man Utd transfer news

As it stands, it looks like Wenger wants to strengthen other areas but if someone like Jack Wilshere, Mesut Ozil or Aaron Ramsey were to pick up a serious injury any time soon, then the Frenchman may suddenly find himself in need of a creative midfielder, and who better than his former protege?