Martin Keown, “Fabregas will certainly leave, Barca are looking to get him for as cheap as they can”
It seems more and more inevitable for Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas to leave the Gunners to move back to Spain with Barcelona. At least, according to former defender Martin Keown.
Speaking to the Sunday Mirror, the Englishman explained that despite a club official statement saying that the player is not for sale, in his opinion, the 23-year old will leave the North London Club after long negotiations between the two parties.
The only reason – according to Keown – why the signing is yet to be finalised is the fee, as the Spanish giants will do anything they can to get the midfielder via the cheapest possible way. The 43-year old also said that it’s not sensible to keep a player against his will, especially when he’s so important for the squad.
The former Arsenal centre back concluded by saying how the player has been thinking of Barcelona for quite some time now and how the respect he has for the club and manager Arsene Wenger is what has kept him in England for such a long time.
Keown said:
Fabregas will certainly leave. What we are seeing at the moment are long, protracted, drawn-out negotiations between Arsenal and Barca.
Arsenal are showing their early position and Barcelona are looking to get him for as cheap as they can.
If Fabregas’ body language is wrong, he’s such an important figure, then he has to go. We trust in Wenger to make the right decision for the football club.
The move to Barcelona is something that has been in his mind for some time. He wants to go back to where he began, but at the same time he wants to be respectful to Arsenal and to Arsene who has nurtured him through.
It must have been difficult for him to see Arsene Wenger and ask for the move.
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WTF
Of course. This makes sense. And I think Arsenal will come out of this winning. Fabregas will be sold for 40M + and this is the kind of cash we need to buy the 2-3 players required for squad depth.
Fabregas is not as irreplaceable as one could think. Personally, I feel Arsenal are much more vulnerable when missing the likes of Song rather than Fab4. Be on you way Fab, thanks for the hard work and for the 40M.
But ur missing another point mate. He is the CAPTAIN of the team. That HAS to count for somethin rite? He’s not just a squad player but Arsenals philosophy itself is built around him. Do you actually think for a minute we wont be affected somehow by his leaving? If he does leave, who are we goin to give the armband to? Verm? He’s only been in the club for a year. V.Persie? He doesnt last the whole season and a captains position is not in a striker. Arshavin? He gets lost in games more often that not. Almunia? Ill just shoot myself. And for that matter alone, I really believe he will stay for at least another season because he KNOWS he’s the captain of a team and the freedom of play which he is given will not be provided to him in Barca. He knows there is always next season or the the following one to move there, but not just yet. And Im trusting our captain to know that as well. Arsene could do well in persuading him with some bloody worthy intent of signing some bigger names for a change.
Wenger named cesc captain in the hope of retaining him at Arsenal. I immediately thought that was a bad idea, because it won’t work. Fab will leave and it’s going to look bad on Wenger.
As for who should take the captain’s armband? Song, Vermaelen or RVP.
This point aside, last season I’d much rather have been without Fabregas than without one of the full backs. It is possible that we woud’ve been better off had Fabregas been sidelined all season rather than RVP.
There I said it.
Let’s set the record straight:
Wenger said: “I don’t need to talk about Cesc. He has a deal with Arsenal and we don’t want to sell him.
“I’ve spoken with Fabregas many times – as with all the players in the World Cup – but never about his future.”
Wenger also ruled out an interest in Barca’s Yaya Toure, insisting Abou Diaby was his main man in midfield for Arsenal.
Source: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Arsenal-s-Cesc-Fabregas-is-not-for-sale-says-Arsene-Wenger-article464957.html
I`ve always made it a point not to swear in my coments so please Cesc don`t push your luck.
You are not going to captain Arsenal next season, you are going home to Mummy. For a while you are going to be their favourite son, you are going to be `unveiled` like a statue, a god,
the streets will echo your name, then fall silent. “Cesc who?”
Like Henry you don`t have true `legend` qualifications with Arsenal, but when you were young you tried.
You were paid well and at times you performed well…..it`s time.
if keown is an employee of the arsenal he should be let go with haste
why should he blathering on about any of our players unless he’s talking to arsene or the other scouts.
if what he says is true, which i highly doubt it is, then he’s given barcelona yet another upper hand. quite ridiculous honestly
For the sake of improving the team, Cesc needs to be sold – but at the right price.
Who cares if he is the captain? Everybody agrees that he is a damn good player, perhaps a liitle slow for my liking and even lightweight but very skillful and visionary. Kanu is the captain for Nigeria and doesn’t get a single minute. henry was the captain of France but has passed over the armband simply because he doesn’t get playing time. For us, RVP can make a great captain (please don’t talk about his injuries – he doesn’t choose to get injured and even the England captain got injured without kicking a ball the WC). Better stiil TV can be his able deputy (he was captain at Ajax)
Sell Cesc and buy Ozil and Hazzard.
As for gosl keeping department, go for somebody with a good command of the 18-yard area. Enyeama is good shot-stopper but does not command his area well. The EPL, with its robust nature and set-pieces vulnarabilty requires a tall, commanding keeper. To me, the Argentinian keeper, although a little clumsy at times, looked a better deal wit his punching and aerial ability. If we can get somebody better that would be great.
oh god. lol . . . we need cesc guys…. losing him wud be kinda hard on the club. we need a player like him . when hes on the field… everyone seems excited and even arshavin starts running around lol.
he wont leave if wenger stands by what he said.
Clearly cesc is gone, just a matter of time. If we can obtain yaya’s services in the deal so much the better as we’ve been lacking a capable midfield hardman for years now.
If Fab doesn’t leave this summer then definitely next summer, hope not but he really looks to be going, we will be needing some big replacements.
Hang on Guys! There’s only two people in the world who knows word for word exactly what the conversation was between Wenger & Fabregas and that was Wenger & Fabregas. On Saturday am a big London Punter tried to place a bet electronicall with William Hill for allegedly £75k that Fabregas would still be an Arsenal player come the close of the transfer window on Sept 1st and they didn’t accept the bet. This London punter has very good connections with Fulham, Chelsea and Arsenal and very rarely bets unless the odds are stacked in his favour or he knows something that not many others do, that’s why he’s a professional punter.
Wenger has said NO! I would urge you all to all in the next 24 hours and walk into your local bookmakers and wager £20 on Cesc still being an Arsenal player at least for one more season!
What i’m saying is the only facts so far are stating he’s not for sale.
brooksie, tay, gerry d and mat…. cheers 4 being rational human beings. the rest can f off back to tottenham. the only way wenger wil go back on what he said is if barca pay up4 henry and hleb then offer 60 mil minimum4 cesc. and given their debts that wil never happen. put ur hand up if you’ve ever heard fab say out of his own cake hole he wants to move? keown? la porta? sky news? nah didnt think so. as 4 diaby his consistency needs 2 improve and i believe it has been. last season was better than the previous and he was frances best player.plus chelski wanted him didnt they? he’s HUGE, powerful and skillful.the next viera? nope.different player.better than viera?yup.i believe he’ll terrorise teams next season. has the potential at least. and the mentality. wouldnt have yaya in a mil yrs. his attitude projected by the media belongs at man arab. sayin that tho id like gourcuff, balotelli, buffon and 2 cb’s. but im sure wateva wenger does will strengthen th team, of that i have no doubt.
£60 million for Cesc?! U silly boy, we’ll be lucky to get 40 mil.