Source: Daily_Mail
David Villa joins Barcelona in £34m deal with Cesc Fabregas in line to follow him
David Villa will be unveiled as a Barcelona player on Friday afternoon after completing a £34million transfer from Valencia. The Spain striker - who had also been wanted by Manchester United and Chelsea - had long been linked with an exit after five seasons at the Mestalla, but preferred to stay in La Liga than move to England.Villa is believed to have signed a four-year deal worth £115,000 a week at the Nou Camp and his former club president confirmed interest from the Barclays Premier League. Done deal: Villa will complete his move to Barca after he completes a medical on Friday Manuel Llorente said: 'It's a good sale and a necessary sale because of the economic situation of the club. It was a painful decision to make but it had to be made.'There were important offers, most of all from an English team - and I'm not referring to Chelsea. But Barca's was the best and especially for the player, who wanted to stay in Spain.'See you next year David: Villa will team up with world footballer of the year Lionel Messi Villa will undergo a medical on Friday to complete a deal which could rise to over £42million. The news comes as Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas is angling for a move back to the Spanish giants. A statement on Barcelona's official website read: 'FC Barcelona andValencia CF closed a 40 million euro deal for Spanish striker DavidVilla on Wednesday morning. 'The Spanish international is due in Barcelona on Thursday evening and will have a medical on Friday morning. 'Villa will be officially unveiled as a Barca player at 1330 in the Paris Room of the Camp Nou. 'He'll then make an appearance on the Camp Nou pitch. The stadium doors will be opened to the public.' The 28-year-old scored 107 goals in 166 league matches for Valencia after establishing himself with Real Zaragoza. He is a regular in Spain's first-team and was a member of the Euro 2008-winning squad.In an open letter, he said: I get a lot of feelings, leaving many friends, but knowing that it is good for the club. At Valencia I have grown as a player and as a person. At Valencia I have felt at home from day one and nobody will doubt it to be that way forever.'I want everyone to know that it has been a great source of pride for me to wear this shirt. It has given me so much and I will always carry it in my heart. Best foot forward: Villa never really fancied a move away from Spain'I leave with the satisfaction that the club has returned to where it deserves to be every year - fighting among the best in Europe in the Champions League.'I would like to send a big hug to all the fans who have always given so much love, from the day of my presentation until the last match at the Mestalla.'Also to all my colleagues who have helped me to improve, to all the technical staff I have worked with and to the leaders, especially (Valencia president) Manuel Llorente, and employees, with whom I have worked side by side.'Villa's arrival is likely to lead to increased speculation over the futures of Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.Outgoing president Joan Laporta yesterday claimed the club were 'satisfied' with the 21-goal contribution of Ibrahimovic in his first season since arriving from Inter Milan last summer. Henry appears on the verge of a move to Major League Soccer, with Laporta also revealing there was 'a lot of interest' in the France forward from the United States. Zlat's your lot: Ibrahimovic and Henry could leave the Nou Camp this summer Villa, top scorer at Euro 2008 despite missing the final through injury, was heavily linked with a move away from the Mestalla last summer to ease Valencia's financial troubles. He reportedly attracted interest from clubs such as Real Madrid,Manchester United and Chelsea as well as Barca, but ultimately stayedput and insisted he was happy to do so. 'There is notrain missed because all I have achieved is because of Valencia and theSpain national team so I do not think any train has passed,' he saidlast July. 'I had the desire to remain here and I want tospend all my sporting career here. 'I also never wanted to be a problemfor the club. The fans have always treated me well because of myperformance, because I have sweated in this shirt and that is what Iwill continue to try to do.' Cesc is going home to Barcelona: all that's left is for Arsenal to agree a fee Barca promise to respect Arsenal - as they step up bid to take Fabregas homeCesc Fabregas Barcelona deal hit by Yaya Toure snubbing Arsenal for better offers - as Manchester City eye IvorianARSENAL FC