Barca director denies Fabregas promise

Barcelona sporting director Txiki Begiristain has denied the reigning European and Spanish champions have told Arsenal they will not be making a move for Cesc Fabregas in the summer.

On Wednesday Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood claimed Barca had recently assured the Gunners they will not be tabling a summer bid for Fabregas, who has long been linked with a return to the Catalan giants where he spent several years as a youth player.

However, Begiristain was quoted as saying by AS newspaper: "If Barcelona consider it necessary for the team, they will go for him, whilst always respecting the negotiations."

He added: "We've never said that we are not going to try to sign Cesc Fabregas. We'll see what happens."

Hill-Wood had told ESPN Soccernet: "There was a private conversation that took place in the boardroom and assurances have been made at the highest possible level. Arsenal do not expect those to be broken."