Source: Daily_Mail
Barcelona president under pressure to seal £40m deal for Arsenal's Fabregas
A power struggle at the Nou Camp has intensified Barcelona's attempts to sign Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas.
So, tell me about the Nou Camp: Cesc Fabregas (left) talks to Barca's Gerard Pique on international duty with Spain
Pep Guardiola, the boss of the European champions, has made Fabregas his No 1 transfer target, but a £40million price-tag is at least £10m more than they want to pay.
However, president Joan Laporta is aware that the man who wants his job will pledge to take Fabregas as part of his election bid next summer.
Sandro Rosell quit as Laporta's vice-president four years ago and has since been outspoken in his criticism of the club's hierarchy.
The 45-year-old was against a 16-year-old Fabregas's departure to Arsenal in September 2003.
Rosell has already signalled his intention to unseat Laporta next year and is said to already have a verbal agreement with Fabregas and his representatives.
The president can wound his rival's bid by moving for the Spain midfielder this summer but Nou Camp insiders believe it will be very difficult to complete a deal.
Barca are working to a deadline of next Tuesday, when Fabregas would be cup-tied for the Champions League if Arsenal use him in their play-off against Celtic.
The Catalans cannot spend as freely as rivals Real Madrid but have been boosted by the mayor of Barcelona granting permission for a land deal that would raise an estimated £260m.
Barca halted plans to sign Dmytro Chyrgrynskiy from Shakhtar Donetsk once the price reached £20m and they have also virtually given up on Liverpool's Javier Mascherano to concentrate their efforts to sign Fabregas.
Interest in Manchester United centre-half Jonny Evans and City's Vincent Kompany is also likely to fall by the wayside in favour of picking up a cheap defensive reinforcement.
Barca ideally need a holding midfielder to cover for Seydou Keita and Yaya Toure during the Africa Cup of Nations, but Guardiola admires the versatility of Fabregas after seeing him perform even as a second striker for Arsenal.
The 22-year-old is seen as a perfect midfield partner for Xavi, who he would eventually succeed as the midfield controller.
Barca value Fabregas at closer to £25m, but will consider offering players in part exchange.
