Pep Guardiola claims Barcelona are in negotiations with Arsenal to sign Cesc Fabregas

Pep Guardiola has revealed that Arsenal are willing to negotiate the sale of captain Cesc Fabregas back to his previous club Barcelona.

The Spanish giants have been courting the World Cup winner for some time, and have made it clear that he is one of their biggest targets in the transfer market for a number of years.

And their manager, Guardiola, has now revealed that Arsenal may be willing to play ball and give in to the player’s wish of returning home.

“It is scary the amount of games we have to play,” said Guardiola.

“Last year we were interested in Cesc but Arsenal didn’t place him on the market. This year they have agreed to negotiate and that’s what we’re doing.

“Market prices are what they are but we have in the end that everything will be sorted out. There is some money in a box (set aside) for this player and we will try until the last day to bring Cesc because he will make our squad better.

However, Guardiola was keen to state that any deal is far from complete, and it would not change Fabregas’ level of commitment at Arsenal while he was still under contract.

“But I’m the first to understand that sometimes things can’t happen.

“I think Cesc has to do what Arsenal ask him. I wouldn’t like it if a player from this institution stood up and said ‘I am not going to train any more because I want to leave’.

“When he is fit, Wenger will play him. He has spoken to his coach and his club and if he has the possibility to leave, he would like to come to Barca.

“If they don’t sell him to us, like last year, they don’t sell him. But as he is on the market, we negotiate.”

Some reports had suggested that if Fabregas were to make the move to Barca, one of the stars of the Under 21 European Championships, Thiago Alacantra, would be departing the Camp Nou.

Guardiola, however, says that this is not the case.

“One doesn’t have anything to do with the other.

“Thiago has endless personality. He is a very daring boy with a lot of talent, but he has a lot of (first-team) competition.

“He has a very big future and we will try to give him the minutes (he needs) for his potential to explode. Now he is worth a lot of money.”