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June 26, 2010Barcelona will step up their pursuit of Cesc Fbregas after Sandro Rosell was declared the club’s new president.
Rosell said that he plans to work with Joan Laporta, who will stand down from the role this month, in a bid to secure the transfer of the Arsenal midfield player.
The president-elect, who secured more than 61 per cent of the vote, will meet Pep Guardiola before the coach goes on holiday this week to offer him a new contract and ascertain his transfer requirements.
Arsenal turned down a 29 million offer for Fbregas, who has intimated that he wants to move. Rosell, 46, was Barcelona vice-president during the start of Laporta’s reign, but the former Nike executive stepped down in 2005 after the pair fell out over the running of the Catalan club.
“When we get together, Laporta will explain at what stage the Cesc situation is at,” Rosell said. “If negotiations are advanced and the coaching staff want the player, we will continue with the negotiations, without doubt.
“Until [Laporta leaves on] July 1, we can’t do anything, but if they need help, we will be the first to give it. If Pep thinks we can lend a hand in terms of making signings, we will. They have the last word.”
The potential sale of Fbregas would add to Arsenal’s sizeable transfer kitty, which received a further boost yesterday when Ivan Gazidis, the club’s chief executive, said that the club had paid off the loans on redeveloping Highbury, meaning that future property sales would be virtually clear profit. Arsenal have almost 90 apartments to sell — a potential 30 million.
“Highbury Square and our other property developments are now free of debt and generating funds,” Gazidis said. “The club is run responsibly and is in a healthy financial position. That does not mean we have unlimited resources, but it does mean we have sufficient funds to invest without incurring unsustainable debt. We will do this on the basis of Arsne Wenger’s assessments, using our resources to supplement the squad intelligently, so that we can take that vital step forward.”
Decent bets
Steven Mouyokolo has been offered a new four-year contract by Hull City to ward off interest in the central defender from Fulham, among others. Mouyokolo joined Hull from Boulogne last summer.
Queens Park Rangers are expected to sign Shaun Derry, 32, when the midfield player’s contract ends at Crystal Palace this month. Neil Warnock, who took over as QPR manager in March, has also been in talks to sign Darren Ambrose and Clint Hill from his former club. Derry helped Palace to the Premier League during his first spell at the club.
Long shots
West Ham face competition from Parma to sign Andrea Barzagli, the experienced centre back. Barzagli, 29, who was part of the Italy squad that won the 2006 World Cup, has spent the past two years at Wolfsburg.
Parma have asked to take on loan Alessandro Diamanti, the West Ham forward, and the Italian club hope that they will sign Valeri Bojinov from Manchester City for about 2.5 million. Diamanti scored seven league goals last season after moving from Livorno for an initial 5 million last summer, but West Ham are likely to consider only a sale. Bojinov, a 24-year-old striker, rediscovered his form while on loan at Parma last term after an indifferent spell at City. He suffered a knee ligament injury shortly after he moved for 5.75 million from Fiorentina three years ago.
Deportivo La Corua have withdrawn their interest in Giovani dos Santos, the Tottenham Hotspur winger, and Carlos Vela, of Arsenal, who are on World Cup duty for Mexico.Miguel ngel Lotina, the Deportivo coach, admitted that it would be too difficult to sign the pair. “The names were put on the table but they won’t be coming,” he said.
