Fabregas unlikely to move

CESC FABREGAS appears certain to be Arsenal’s captain next season after the Barcelona president yesterday said his club would not attempt to buy the Spain midfielder this summer. However, Sandro Rosell said that he intends to make a new offer for Fabregas next year.

“Arsenal feel very hurt by Barca,” Rosell told Catalan television. “They don’t want to listen to offers or sell and they are not putting the player on the market.

“There was a strong dispute a few months ago and they have not forgotten it. He will come, even if it is not now, it will be next year. We will see. One thing that is certain is that we will not be throwing the house at trying to sign him.

“No shareholder would pay €60 million or €70 million for him. We would only pay his value in the transfer market.”

Arsenal see their captain as priceless and their angry reaction to what they considered to be a derisory first bid, of €30 million, was hardly surprising. Barca’s recent €27 million sale of Yaya Toure to Manchester City provides context: the Ivorian is a defensive midfielder who was rejected by Arsenal seven years ago.

Arsenal will hope Rosell’s words draw a line under another summer of speculation, of the kind that was a perennial feature of the close season when Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry captained the club.

However, Arsenal will not be sure that the matter is closed until Fabregas returns for training after his extended break following Spain’s run to the World Cup final.

As matters stand, the Catalans have been forced to admit that they are moving towards a period of austerity and that Fabregas is out of their reach.

“We are making a policy to rationalise our costs, using common sense and prudence,” added Rosell.

Fabregas’s most recent comments have indicated that he will stay in North London. He dedicated his World Cup winner’s medal to Arsenal’s players, fans, manager and staff this week.

His bond with Arsène Wenger is strong but the manager’s contract has only 11 months to run.

Both club and manager foresee talks on an extension being resolved in the coming months, but should such talks stall then Arsenal could face the prospect of losing their captain and their manager next summer.

l Guardian Service