Soccer:Arsenal striker Eduardo looks set to complete a €7.1million move to Shakhtar Donetsk, while Barcelona midfielder Xavi believes the London club are merely "delaying the inevitable" by preventing Cesc Fabregas from joining the Spanish champions.
Eduardo (27) is poised to sign a three-year contract after passing a medical and agreeing terms with the Ukrainian champions, according to reports.
Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu said: “We wanted to buy Eduardo before he moved to Arsenal.
“Not everything went his way last season, but he is still a player of very high quality, a real marksman. Yes, he had a serious injury, we are aware of the risk, but at the same time we realise he can give a lot to Shakhtar. We expect a lot from Eduardo.”
The Brazil-born Croatia international joined the Gunners from Dinamo Zagreb in 2007 but failed to hold down a regular first-team spot after suffering an horrific broken leg in February 2008.
As for Fabregas Xavi believes Fabregas will move to Spain. Arsenal’s playmaker was the subject of a reported €35million approach by the Catalan club prior to the World Cup but the Gunners are reluctant to part with their prize asset, who has five years left on his current contract.
Arsenal appeared to gain the upper hand in the protracted saga when Barca coach Pep Guardiola conceded on Monday that the north London club would have the final say on the 23-year-old’s future.
But Xavi, a member of Spain’s victorious World Cup squad alongside Fabregas, is confident a deal will be reached to take the former Barcelona trainee back to the Nou Camp - be it this summer or next.
“We know where Cesc wants to be this coming season, but perhaps there is not enough time for Barcelona and Arsenal to agree a deal,” said Xavi.
“Arsenal need to understand they are only delaying the inevitable.
“If we don’t manage to get his signature this season then Arsenal only really have him on loan for a year - because there is nothing they can do to stop him joining next summer.
“I haven’t given up on him joining us this season but, if he doesn’t, it won’t be more than a year before he is back home.
“His people will have a whole season to sort out the deal between the two clubs and it will happen at the very latest next summer.”
Xavi claims Fabregas told his international team-mates he was keen on joining Barcelona while on World Cup duty.
“We were all with him for five weeks in South Africa and we know he wants to be at Barcelona, he made it very clear,” Xavi added.
“But he will under no circumstances do anything that will upset the Arsenal fans. And that’s probably why we are going to have to wait for him for another year.”