Source: Daily_Mail
Arsenal slap £50m price tag on Cesc Fabregas as Real Madrid come calling for captain
ShareReal Madrid have been told to open the bidding at ?50million for Cesc Fabregas after making the Arsenal captain their primary transfer target for the summer. [LNB]The Spanish giants are set for a summer tussle with rivals Barcelona for the midfielder, with the player's desire to move to the Nou Camp matched by the will of Madrid president Florentino Perez to hijack the deal. [LNB] Cheerio: Cesc Fabregas' future is once again in doubt after a disappointing season with Arsenal[LNB]Reports in his native Spain suggest the Arsenal man is preparing to once again try and force through a transfer back to the club he left at 16 after yet another trophyless season in north London. [LNB]Madrid, though, who boast significantly more by way of financial muscle than Barca, are so desperate to steal a march on their great rivals that they allegedly spoke with Arsenal officials this week who told them the point at which they would start negotiating. [LNB] Homeward bound: Fabregas has made no secret of his desire to return to Barcelona one day in his career[LNB]El Mundo Deportivo report that Madrid's director general, Jose Angel Sanchez, was also told Arsenal would only sell to teams abroad as opposed to Chelsea and Manchester City who are also interested in securing his services. [LNB]The sudden surge in activity at Madrid was sparked, according to the Spanish newspaper, by Barcelona's comprehensive victory over Manchester United in the Champions League final. [LNB] Poor form: Barcelona embarrassed themselves last summer with an ill-judged pressure campaign to unsettle Cesc[LNB] Causing trouble: Already Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol have started making mischief ahead of a proposed move[LNB]The manner of the win highlighted to Perez the need of his own club to both prevent Fabregas becoming the natural heir to Xavi at the Nou Camp, and to create a dynasty of Spanish players at the Bernabeu. [LNB]Fabregas, meanwhile, who is on holiday in the United States, is keen to avoid a repeat of the last summer where Barcelona embarked on an appallingly unprofessional crusade to unsettle the player. [LNB] Heir to the throne: Barcelona fans expect Fabregas to ultimately take over from Xavi in the team's engine room[LNB]Yet according to Sport, his desire to leave remains as strong as ever.[LNB]Last month Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger remained firm in his belief that Fabregas would remain in London for at least another year. [LNB]He said: 'I expect him to be here, and Iwill fight very hard to keep him here. You have always to fight when you have a player of that quality. You must always fight to keep your players.[LNB] Lads on tour: Fabregas is currently in holiday in the United States, visiting the east and west coast[LNB]What guarantees you that if you go somewhere else you will win trophies? The biggest pride for a captain is to be committed to his club and deliver trophies with his team.[LNB]'A player who changes his club every time he is frustrated or when he doesn't win a trophy, goes nowhere. I believe the quality of sports life is to be committed to your club and not just to move out when it does not go as well as you expected.'[LNB] It's a date! Barca to bid for Cesc the day after Champions League final Lads on tour! Arsenal pair Van Persie and Fabregas go large in the Big AppleWenger admits Arsenal could lose star midfielder Nasri over pay wrangleAll the latest Arsenal news, features and opinion[LNB] Explore more:People: Florentino Perez, Xavi Places: Madrid, London, Barcelona, Spain
