Wenger - Cesc talk stops

Gunners boss says captain will be staying at Emirates Stadium

Last updated: 18th July 2010  

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Arsene Wenger is expecting the transfer speculation surrounding Cesc Fabregas to stop after talking to the Arsenal captain.

Barcelona have been trying to persuade the Gunners to sell Fabregas this summer and have seen one offer flatly rejected by the Premier League club.

Fabregas has previously suggested he would be keen to return to Camp Nou, but Arsenal have been steadfast in their refusal to countenance his exit.

New Barca president Sandro Rosell has now all-but conceded defeat in his bid to sign the Spain international this year and Wenger is hoping the rumours will grind to a halt.

Too much talk

"There was too much talk," the Arsenal manager told Sky Sports News.

"I always said that we are really, really wanting him to stay as he is such an important player for us.

"He's our captain, we want to keep him and that's why we are not listening to any offers.

"It just was not a problem of money, just the desire to keep him at the club.

"It is stopped (the talk). We never wanted to start anyway."

Wenger confirmed he had discussed the situation with the midfielder, but did not want to divulge the contents of the conversation.

He added: "I have spoken to him, of course, but I never come out publicly with what we talk about.

"There was a lot of unneeded talk that was not helpful for Arsenal Football Club and that's why I don't think we have to add anything to that.

"I know what is important for us. Arsenal Football Club is a massive club and what is important is that everybody focuses on being successful next season."

Comments (10)

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David Tindale (Arsenal fan) says...

For Bill Struder, if you check out the link http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_6268355,00.html you'll see the Catalans are doing an awful lot to stir the situation, I'm not an Arsenal fan (this thing doesn't seem to grasp the concept that there might be people around that don't support anyone), but I think the constant comments from the Barca camp are pretty disrespectful. Puyols latest comments are pretty unsettling, maybe it's something being lost in translation but I think Barca are in the wrong here. You've only mentioned the "official" side of the fiasco to date and happened to skip out all this other noise. It still counts. And if the press are reporting direct quotes from Barca players saying these things, Puyol, Xavi, Alonso, Messi etc, then for once they aren't making a meal out of it.

Posted 12:13 18th July 2010

Richard Cobbett (Arsenal fan) says...

Ah, poor old Bill! Your club can't get the player they want and you are raking up nonsense to try and make them look better and Arsenal worse. Pathetic. Cesc ended up at Arsenal quite simply because he knew Barcelona did not want to offer him first team football in any near future (at the time). And maybe if clubs like Barrca didn't keep undermining Arsenal by unsettling them pillaging them of their players we could have been more successful over the last 5 years - not that our lack of trophies is in any way a factor to justify Barcelona's behaviour. Now they do supposedly want him, they put in a derisory offer of £30 mill and try to tell the world it is his true market value - this, for a 23 year old of undoubted quality on a 5 year contract, and a club that doesn't need to sell. They paid more than that for Villa who is older, wasn't on a long term contract and whose cub needed to sell ... and don't get me started on what they paid for Ibrahimovich and others last year! Their behaviour in tapping up Cesc through the press and their players is disgusting arrogance, disrespectful and insulting to both Arsenal and Cesc in not wanting to do things the right way offering the right price. It shows them up to be a club truly lacking in any class of character - however well they play football, sporting behaviour demands much more. If it weren't for the fact they are being propped up by a major Catalan bank I would look forward to seeing this crass outfit go bust and possibly even celebrate the day they did more than Arsenal winning any trophy.

Posted 10:30 18th July 2010

James Brett (Arsenal fan) says...

Listen Bill, Fifa rules and regulations state that it is noit permitted for representatives of a 'buying' club to make an unofficial approach for a player whom is contracted by a 'selling' club, or do anything to entice a player to leave the club with whom he is contracted to, Now, every day I wake up and I see 'Iniesta expresses Cesc desire', 'Messi would welcome Fabregas return' and Puyol and Pique putting a Barca shirt on our captai. I'd be interested to know how this doesn't fall within the Fifa rules on tapping up players. There's one man with his head on straight in this whole fiasco; Arsene Wenger and if you think you're [icking our boy up for 29m think again. Come with 50m+ and you're welcome to him (try paying your players wages first though)

Posted 10:28 18th July 2010

Bill Struder (Barcelona fan) says...

People here talk about Barca's "lack of respect" in the whole saga. Let me break it down for you. Barca declared their interest - Cesc said he wanted to move - Barca made an offer - Arsenal rejected it. THERE HAS BEEN NO MOVEMENT SINCE. It's the press that are making fools out of you all, yet you clever people choose to blame Barca for underhand tactics. Arsenal fans should not forget how he ended up there in the first place! Try winning some trophies and your best players wont think about leaving!

Posted 20:38 17th July 2010

Rayne Jennings (Arsenal fan) says...

Cesc will be happy at either club. He loves both clubs and however long he stays at Arsenal he will still play his best, he'll still be an amazing captain, and he'll still fight in every game. Eventually he'll go to Barcelona, but we've known that all along. Wenger wont let him leave until Wilshere, Ramsey, Lansbury etc etc are ready to step up and fill his boots.

Posted 18:58 17th July 2010

Andrew Thomas (Arsenal fan) says...

Well done Arsene, its about time a manager dug his heels in and stopped clubs taking players who have long term contracts. cesc is obviously going to go back to Spain one day, but not this season. Come on the gunners less build on last season and give the fans something to celebrate. Joe Cole in that team with the new signings will do the trick, come on Arsene open the cheque book again and get him in.

Posted 18:40 17th July 2010

Lee Aaron (Arsenal fan) says...

Its the same old dribble every year, I cant believe the barca/Madrid fans fall for the same blatant tactic used by practically every prospective Spanish club president. Yes, you may get fab in the future but this story got way out of hand and was in the end, just plain boring. Can we focus on the actual playing aspect of football now?!? Lets see if anyone mentions "tapping up"...not that FIFA would do anything about it anyway.

Posted 18:31 17th July 2010

Robert Andrew (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

I feel for Arsenal on this subject, why is UEFA not taking action against Barca on this matter, do we forget how Liverpool and Man United acted two years ago to land Keane and Berbatov, if a club wants to buy a player then there should be solid rules that prevent this behavior by the bully boy big clubs, 1, the club looking contacts the other club first, and respects there decision, 2, all transfer talk from the club is private untill the clubs have agreed on the sale, 3, all contact between the clubs and the press is banned untill the transfer is agreed. 4, all personell for any club should be banned from leaking transfer talk to the press, and this should be included in there contracts. Cesc is there captain, the foundation of the team, and Arsenal have made it clear from as far back as the end of the season they WILL NOT SELL HIM, so, Barcalona, we in the EPL look forward to your grovelling apoligy for your behavoiur... if you have the honour

Posted 18:30 17th July 2010

Godfrey Isolio (Arsenal fan) says...

great news for the emirates faithful.. what the club needs to do is to sign another centre half a midfielder and a goal keeper...with that, arsenal should win the title this season.

Posted 18:29 17th July 2010

Hisan Anjum (Arsenal fan) says...

Glad to hear that. Hope the talk really does stop now from Barcelona, who have shown complete lack of respect towards Arsenal and Cesc.

Posted 18:27 17th July 2010
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