SOCCER TRANSFER NEWS:BARCELONA ARE poised to return with an improved €39 million offer for Cesc Fabregas and believe that sum will be enough to secure the Arsenal captain and end one of the modern game's longest-running transfer sagas.

The European and Spanish champions have detected a softening in Arsenal’s resolve over their talisman and feel that, in contrast to last summer, when Arsene Wenger made it clear he would not sell Fabregas at any price, the Gunners are ready to do business.

Fabregas, who is on holiday in Spain, wanted to move back to Barcelona, his former club, last summer, and, following another season at Arsenal that promised much but delivered nothing in terms of trophies, his attitude has only hardened.

He would prefer the deal to be done before he is due to report for pre-season training at Arsenal next Tuesday, meaning he could remain in Spain.

Arsenal depart for a mini-tour of Malaysia and China on Sunday week and it would not be difficult to imagine the sideshow if Fabregas were still the club captain and he made the trip. It could undermine the tour and its chief purpose, which is to promote the Arsenal brand.

Barcelona had two bids for Fabregas turned down last summer, while they have been back with €30 million this summer, an offer which again was rejected.

Barcelona have attempted to drive down the price claiming that, due to the amortisation of his contract, he ought to be worth less. That argument has been given short shrift at Arsenal; Fabregas (24), is on contract until 2015.

Yet there have been concerns at the club that they might be unable to deny Fabregas his dream move once again and that, if Barcelona pay €45 million, the money could be reinvested in Wenger’s transfer targets. Barca hope a compromise of €39 million will enable the deal to be done.

Barcelona, who are deeply in debt, have indicated a willingness to include fringe players in part-exchange for Fabregas, but Wenger is not interested in any of them. He has his own list of targets and he appears to be ready to push the button on various deals.

The Lille and Ivory Coast striker Gervinho, who is valued at 12 million, remains at the top of the list and Wenger also wants two centre-halves. He has a serious interest in Gary Cahill of Bolton Wanderers, Everton’s Phil Jagielka and Chris Samba of Blackburn Rovers.

In midfield, his targets include Argentinian Ricardo Alvarez from Velez Sarsfield and Juan Mata, the young Spain player at Valencia.

Elsewhere, David de Gea underwent a medical at Manchester United yesterday and is expected to shortly complete a €20 million transfer from Atletico Madrid which will push Alex Ferguson’s summer spending past €55 million.

Ferguson made his move for De Gea some weeks ago but the United manager was forced to wait until the 20-year-old goalkeeper had helped Spain to victory in the European Under-21 Championship before he was able to bring him to Manchester to finalise the deal.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Luka Modric will hold talks with chairman Daniel Levy tomorrow week, when his future is set to become clearer.

The Croatia midfielder will report for pre-season training that day and be joined by one of his representatives.

Chelsea have been the first club of the summer to make public their interest in him but their offer of €25 million was dismissed out of hand by Levy, who is prepared to give Modric, who earns around €50,000 a week and is under contract until 2016, a hefty pay rise to make him the club’s best-paid player.

Levy has long overseen a realistic wage structure, where the ceiling is set at €80,000 a week.

Meanwhile, Swansea have rejected Newcastle United’s long-standing €1.5 million offer for left-back Neil Taylor. Newcastle are hoping to beat Sunderland to the signatures of the Manchester United midfielder Darron Gibson and Wigan winger Charles N’Zogbia.

And Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has interviewed candidates to be his assistant after his initial choice, Vitor Pereira, was appointed as his successor at Porto. Villas-Boas is intent upon bringing Jose Mario Rocha and Daniel Sousa from Porto as physical-fitness coach and senior opposition scout respectively.

There will be senior roles for the scout and former Ipswich coach Mick McGiven, and the assistant coach Michael Emenalo. The latter is being considered for the role of technical director.

Guardian Service