SOCCER:THE CESC Fabregas transfer saga has taken yet another twist after the player was omitted from the Arsenal squad that travelled to Lisbon last night ahead of a friendly against Benfica despite having played a full part in training in the build-up to the fixture.
Arsene Wenger had been keen to play Fabregas for the first time in pre-season at the Stadium of Light tonight despite Barcelona still hoping to prise the 24-year-old from the Emirates Stadium before the transfer window closes.
Yet, with Arsenal still coming to terms with an awkward Champions League play-off draw against the Italian side Udinese, Fabregas was not included in the travelling party amid suggestions that the player was still not ready to feature following a long-standing hamstring injury. If so, the midfielder seems certain to miss the start of the Premier League season next week.
The fitness issue has offered club and player a convenient excuse given the impasse that has long set in over Barca’s attempts to re-sign the World Cup winner. Reports in Spain suggested a third offer of the summer had been tabled for the midfielder worth up to €40 million, though there has been no confirmation of such from Arsenal.
Regardless, a bid of that amount would still fall short of the €45 million asking price for their captain. The club’s majority shareholder, Stan Kroenke, who was at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday, is understood to be backing his manager’s valuation of the player.
Wenger had omitted Fabregas from the club’s pre-season tour of east Asia last month, citing his hamstring problems, and opted against including him in his plans for last weekend’s Emirates Cup, claiming the midfielder was “not settled with us” and saying “the speculation around his position has to be sorted out soon”.
Yet the Spaniard has trained with his team-mates since, both in an open session at the club’s stadium in front of around 5,000 supporters on Thursday and yesterday morning at London Colney.
His intention is to leave London and he is anxious not to become cup-tied in Europe by featuring against Udinese.
