In an attempt to capitalize on the revelation that Barcelona might not be able to afford Cesc Fabregas this summer (like that's every stopped a club from buying a player), Real Madrid are reportedly preparing a bid for the Catalan-born Barca youth product. According to Marca, they'll offer €60 million for him this summer, which just might be enough to convince Arsenal to sell their captain. Maybe.
Of course, there are two important things to remember in all this. 1) Transfer rumors in February are even more worthless than transfer rumors that aren't four months removed from an actual transfer window. And 2) Cesc Fabregas and Barcelona are obsessed with each other.
After last summer's epic tale of forbidden love that put Cesc in the middle of a tug of war between Arsenal and Barca and nearly overshadowed the World Cup, the Barca players who beckoned him to join them through the press are now saying there is no way he would ever agree to join Real. The first to say so was Victor Valdes (via Soccernet):
"I cannot imagine Cesc wearing the white shirt," Valdes said. "As you know, I believe his wish is to return home, although that is not up to me. He knows our system perfectly and he would fit in well here."
Then, in his excellent interview with Sid Lowe (seriously, stop reading this and check it out now), Xavi astutely said:
If I'd ever gone to another club, I'd have been thinking about Barcelona – the link is strong. The same is happening to him. But now there's a problem: now he's expensive. But I think that a footballer ends up playing where he wants. He has to end up here. [...]
You know, often footballers don't think. We're selfish, we don't realise. I also say it because I'm thinking of Cesc. He wants to come here. Barcelona has always been his dream. But of course he's Arsenal's captain, the standard bearer, a leader. This situation is a putada [bummer] for him. He's at a club that plays his style with Wenger who has treated him well, taught him, raised him. Cesc respects him. If he'd been at, say, Blackburn it might have been easier to leave. Look, the truth is: I want him to come here. Of course. Barcelona have a very clear style and not many footballers fit. It's not easy. But Cesc fits it perfectly.
Catalan paper Sport echoed these sentiments in an article romantically titled "Cesc, only Barca." It says that money won't be enough to lure Cesc to Real Madrid (or Chelsea) and Real's previous attempts to lure him have all failed because he only dreams of Barca. It also says that Barca may try to swing a deal that includes other players to make up for their lack of funds.
So will Cesc and Arsenal be lured in by Real's money? Will Barca figure out a way to make his dream come true? It's impossible to know. But no matter what anyone says, we're still talking transfer rumors in February here and that is just a big old waste of time.
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