Don’t you see, Barca? There is no Richard Gere.
270 comments July 20th, 2011
After a couple of days of intrigue in Central America, the summer news agenda returned firmly yesterday to its preferred topic: the possible departure of Cesc Fabregas.
Josep Guardiola held his first press conference of pre-season, and the lurking hacks won’t have been disappointed with his comments:
“This year Arsenal has agreed to negotiate and we are working on [it]. Barcelona has made an offer [of £26m], Arsenal another [between £35-40m], and we have time until 31 August and we’ll try to reach an agreement. There is a sum of money in the strong box set aside for this signing but if it doesn’t work out it will be kept in the box for something else. We will fight to the end to try to get Cesc because we believe he will improve the team and the squad.”
Exciting, eh? Arsenal have agreed to negotiate a sale? Blimey, that’s big news.
Except, it isn’t. Even when the BBC printed this story almost a month ago, they were already telling us something we already knew.
Anyone remotely connected to the club knows that Arsenal will sell Cesc Fabregas – if Barcelona pay the asking price. From the noises in the press, we’re led to believe that the price we’re quoting is a few million pounds more than Liverpool paid for Andy Carroll. Fabregas is, statistically, the most creative footballer in Europe. £40m would be a snip.
The reason we’re prepared to accept what has to go down is a deflated fee is simply that nobody wants an end to this saga more than Arsenal. It is damaging and draining. Read these comments from Arsene Wenger on tour last week:
“We know that this story for Barcelona goes on for years now and we have to close that and for ourselves to focus on the season, hopefully with Cesc Fábregas.”
Arsene’s meaning is clear. First and foremost, we need resolution. Ideally that would include keeping Cesc. If it doesn’t, it’ll be a huge blow, but we’ll recover and move forward.
The Guardian suggest we’ve set a deadline of the end of the month. I would imagine that’s guesswork on their part, but it makes sense. In August, we face both Liverpool and Manchester United, as well as a crucial Champions League qualifier. We cannot afford to go through that period with doubts over Cesc’s future.
It’s time for Barcelona to put up or shut up. CUoCO. At the moment they’re like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, hanging around shops looking at dresses they simply can’t afford to buy. They’re waiting for Richard Gere to come in and save them. BUT THERE IS NO RICHARD GERE.
If Barca haven’t got the necessary funds to buy both Fabregas and their number one target, Alexis Sanchez, then they need to tell us. And Cesc. Professing how much they want the player, only to refuse to pay the painfully reasonable fee, is not helping his career.
If Barca do find £40m down the back of a sofa, perhaps Arsenal will spend some of that fee on Alex Chamberlain (repeat: Chamberlain, not Oxlade-Chamberlain). The Southampton winger has told his club he wishes to move to the Premier League, saying:
“I’ve heard Arsenal are in for me and to join a top-four club is what I hope for.
“When the bus comes along, you have to jump on it and make the most of your opportunities.
“It’s not every day you get a chance like that. I believe in my own ability and that I have what it takes to play in the Premier League.”
One man who won’t be boarding our bus any time soon is Joel Campbell. It sounds like he and his family have well and truly put Arsenal’s noses out of joint, and I have to say I can understand why we walked away from the deal.
I did find this poll on Costa Rican paper La Nacion rather amusing. Forgive the slightly dodgy google translation, but you get the point:
Right, that’s yer lot for today. As we speak, Xavi is holding a press conference. More Cescy fun on the way, no doubt.
