Cesc Fábregas says adiós to Arsenal

Posted Wednesday, May 19, 2010 by theguardian.com

• Arsène Wenger to hold talks with 23-year-old this week
• Arsenal want £40m, Barça see it as a £30m deal

Barcelona's long-running pursuit of Cesc Fábregas appears finally to be nearing a successful conclusion as the Arsenal midfielder has made it clear to Arsène Wenger that the time is right for him to return to the Camp Nou.

Fábregas went back to Catalonia tonight after a brief spell at London Colney undergoing medical tests on his fractured leg, suffered against Barça in March, having indicated to Wenger that he now wishes to leave them after seven years in England. The manager will seek to speak with the 23-year-old again later this week, though it appears the Spaniard's mind is made up.

The Gunners have been consistently resistant to losing a player who arrived from Camp Nou as a 16-year-old but and has become their talisman in recent trophyless seasons, and may insist he hands in a formal transfer request before allowing any move to progress. However, they will effectively have little choice but to sanction a transfer now that he has made it clear he does not wish to stay.

Barcelona hope to secure the player for around £30m, and could offer to include the unsettled Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Touré or even the Sweden forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic as part of the deal, though there is no guarantee that the Londoners would accept either player. They will seek nearer £40m for their captain, a demand that will prompt what is likely to prove a protracted and fractious period of negotiations, with Wenger having gone on record towards the end of last season that he was under "no financial pressure" to sell.

Yet there is an acceptance at Arsenal that where previous attempts from Barça to secure the player have been successfully deflected, they will be fighting a losing battle on this occasion. Fábregas, who has four years to run on a contract signed back in 2006, indicated last week that he hoped to clarify his future before the World Cup finals, with the outgoing Barcelona president, Joan Laporta, anxious to conclude deals for the midfielder and the Valencia striker David Villa ahead of the club's presidential elections on 13 June.

Laporta would consider the eye-catching signings to be his legacy to the Spanish champions – the title was retained last weekend – as they seek to steal a march on Real Madrid in the transfer market this summer. Villa has also been a long-standing target and is expected to replace the former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry, who is set to follow David Beckham's lead and move to Major League Soccer, though the Barça president has been especially encouraged by Fábregas's willingness to return to the club he left at 16 after progressing through the youth ranks alongside Lionel Messi.

Fábregas is the top earner at Arsenal on a reported £110,000 a week. Barcelona's top earners command significantly more, with Ibrahamovic reported to earn upwards of £150,000 a week while Messi's earnings are believed to break the £200,000 a week barrier.

Laporta admitted it was "remarkable" that Fábregas had publicly expressed his desire to return to the Camp Nou. "Negotiations are progressing well, especially in the case of Villa," said the vice-president, Rafael Yuste. "The situation with Cesc is different because even if you have the will of the player it is very important to talk to his club and, if you can, find an agreement. But what makes it easier is that both players want to come to Barça."

His loss would represent a considerable blow to Arsenal and Wenger, who has yet to sign an extension to his own contract which is due to expire in a year's time. Fábregas flirted with a move to Spain last summer but ended up insisting he had a responsibility to remain at the north London club after being named as William Gallas's replacement as captain.

Yet, having endured a fifth successive season without silverware at the club – his only trophy remains the FA Cup in 2005 – and with Chelsea, Manchester United and the emerging force of Manchester City expected to strengthen over the close season, the midfielder has not seen enough evidence of progress to convince him that Arsenal will be capable of achieving significant honours in the near future.

The likes of City or Real would be able to offer considerably more money for his services, though the midfielder is intent upon returning to Barcelona alone. "Before I go to the World Cup I want to know my future," he had said last week. "I don't want to go there with something on my mind as that is of no benefit to anybody. If I decide to leave Arsenal, it will be to wear the shirt of Barcelona. I don't know when this will happen though."

He had added that he was "very happy" at Arsenal, though that stance appears to have shifted after much soul-searching since.

His departure would leave Arsenal considerably weakened. The Londoners will welcome the highly rated Bordeaux forward Marouane Chamakh to the Emirates on 1 July under the Bosman ruling and will attempt to strengthen their defence over the summer, though Fábregas will leave a void in midfield in terms of creativity, influence and goalscoring ability. His defection would be psychologically damaging as well, with Wenger not used to seeing key players leave the club against his wishes.