Barcelona to ‘fight’ for Fabregas

Fabregas started his career in the Barcelona youth system

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola says the club will “fight to the end” to sign Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas.

The European champions had a bid of about £27m rejected by the Gunners in June this year.

“Barcelona have made an offer, Arsenal another and we have until 31 August to try to reach an agreement,” said Barca coach Guardiola.

“We will fight to the end to try to get Cesc because we believe he will improve the team and the squad.”

He added: “There is a sum of money in the strong box set aside for this signing but if it doesn’t work out it will be kept in the box for something else.”

However, Guardiola insisted that signing a striker is his priority, with the club tracking Chilean international Alexis Sanchez from Udinese.

The 40-year-old added: “We need a forward. We have more players in midfield than in attack.”

Fabregas was a product of the Barcelona youth academy before joining Arsenal as a 16-year-old in 2003. He did not travel with the Arsenal squad on their pre-season tour of Asia.

Barcelona’s sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta also indicated that the club’s priority before the end of the transfer window was the signing of a new striker.

Barca’s Bojan Krkic has been linked with a move to Serie A side AS Roma, who are now managed by former Barcelona reserve coach Luis Enrique.

Zubizarreta said: “As we understand it we are in the final stages of the negotiations to sign Sanchez and an agreement will happen very soon.”

But I would have said the same thing this time last week. As in a good film, it seems sometimes the end takes a little longer,”