Arsenal and Barcelona 'sign pact' on Fabregas's £30m return to Spain

19 August 2009 13:46
Cesc Fabregas's future has been plunged into further doubt by claims from Spain that Arsenal have agreed to let him join Barcelona next summer. The two clubs signed a pact and agreed a fee of between £25million and £30m for the 22-year-old midfielder before Arsenal's Champions League play-off defeat of Celtic, according to Spanish newspaper El Mundo Deportivo. The deal would apparently be pushed through next week if the Gunners fail to see off the Scots, though that now seems unlikely. Instead, Barca coach Pep Guardiola will have to wait until next season to welcome the one player he has asked his bosses to concentrate on signing since Zlatan Ibrahimovic was brought in from Inter Milan. It would be a long-expected return to Catalonia for Fabregas, who left Barca for Arsenal as a 16-year-old. Though the Arsenal captain has consistently denied a desire to leave the Emirates Stadium, another Spanish newspaper Sport today claims he has been texting friends at Barca to tell them not to give up on their pursuit. The delay in the deal means Barca will step up efforts to patch up their Champions League-winning squad. Emmanuel Eboue is the favourite to fill their need for back-up at right-back and chances of the move going through increased when he was not used against Celtic. The Ivory Coast international would have been unable to play for Barca in the Champions League this season had he come on as a substitute during the 2-0 win at Parkhead. Liverpool winger Albert Riera is being considered as back-up for the left wing, though Shakhtar Donetsk's Brazilian Willian is the new name on the lips of Barca's secretariat.

Source: Daily_Mail