Source: Daily_Mail
Fabregas bidding war - Real Madrid fight Barca to sign the Arsenal captain
Real Madrid will rival Barcelona in a bid for Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas next summer.[LNB]The Spanish giants both showed interest in the midfielder before the start of this season and are set to renew the fight to prise him from the Gunners in 2010.[LNB]The 22-year-old has shunned questions about his future since joining up with the Spain squad this week, having insisted at the weekend that he was committed to Arsenal after a stunning performance against Blackburn Rovers.[LNB] Enlarge No 1 target: Cesc Fabregas trains with Spain in Madrid ahead of the country's World Cup qualifiers[LNB] But it has not stopped the headlines in his homeland. Barca are said to be increasingly confident of re-signing a player they lost as a 16-year-old, but Madrid could blow them out of the water in a second consecutive summer of stellar spending.[LNB]Sky Sports expert Guillem Balague writes in AS that Madrid have been panicked into making moves for Fabregas and Franck Ribery after losing against Sevilla at the weekend.[LNB]The 2-1 defeat was the first blip after winning seven straight competitive games, but it has led to a meltdown at the Bernabeu, with president Florentino Perez insisting the team plays the kind of entertaining football that has become synonymous with rivals Barcelona.[LNB] Inquest: Kaka shows his frustration as Sevilla celebrate on their way to beating Real Madrid 2-1 at the weekend[LNB]Unimpressed: Real Madrid president Florentino Perez[LNB]For that, the team are said to be a couple of players short in midfield and could open the chequebook again next summer, despite their recent £230million spending spree being described as three years' spending in one.[LNB]Many in Spain believe a deal to take Ribery to the Bernabeu next summer has already been agreed, though Chelsea, Manchester United and Barcelona are sure to be interested if Bayern are prepared to sell the France star for a reasonable price.[LNB]Perez also revealed an admiration of Fabregas in the summer and it has been claimed that Madrid held talks with Arsenal over a move worth more than £50million at a time when Barca were making offers of around half that figure.[LNB]Meanwhile, AS also reports that Sandro Rosell, who hopes to become the club's next president, personally secured a 'first option' agreement for Fabregas when David Dein was vice-chairman of the Gunners in 2003.[LNB]Rosell is expected to pledge the signing as part of his election campaign this summer and also has links to Fabregas through an association with Nike.[LNB] Ukraine v England live! Sign up to watch the match with MailOnlineWIN: Arsenal shirt signed by Fabregas or a Barca shirt signed by MessiFabregas shuns Barca questions as Guardiola targets Man City ace RobinhoWe have Theo's welfare at heart, says Pearce after putting Wenger rift asideARSENAL FC
