Joan Laporta says Cesc Fabregas is Barcelona's top summer target and that he wants to re-join his former club.
The European champions have held a long-standing interest in the 22-year-old Spain international, who left Camp Nou in search of first-team football six years ago.
With arch-rivals Real Madrid splashing the cash this summer Laporta wants to add Fabregas, who he claims wants to play for the Catalan giants, to Josep Guardiola's star-studded squad.
However, any attempt by Laporta to bring Fabregas back to Camp Nou is likely to end in failure with the talented playmaker only last week reiterating his commitment to The Gunners.
Laporta also claims have immense respect for Arsenal, although his fresh public declaration of his desire to sign Fabregas is unlikely to go down well at the Emirates.
"Cesc Fabregas has the Barcelona DNA in his body and we know that he wants to play for this club," Laporta told Cadena Cope.
"At the moment he is the leader at Arsenal and a very important player for them. But Cesc is wanted by me, by the coach Pep Guardiola and by the sport director Txiki Begiristain.
"We are concentrating all of our efforts on it, but at the same time we have a lot of respect for Arsenal.
"We have positive relations with Arsenal so it will not be an easy topic to talk to them about."
Your Comments
db10isgod
"michael69, How the f**k did Barcelona develop Cesc without even letting him kick a ball? "
fint65
"the way i c it is , if fabulous fab wants to go den let him ,we all no wat happened to henry ,look at him now , and as for barca well who cares"
michael69
"kevoface - Fabregas is just one in a long line of fantastic young Catalans that Barcelona developed from a pre-pubescent age. Fabregas was a world class talent when Wenger stole him from Barcelona age 16. Fabregas would have been a great player wherever he went because of his Barca foundation. So stop trying to act like these facts don't matter and stop trying to act like Wenger polished a lump of coal and turned it into the diamond we see now. "
erkimust
"Barcelona did not develop Fabregas any more than Southampton developed Theo Walcott. The vast majority of Fabregas' development has taken place with Arsenal. That's a simple fact. "
kevoface
"Barcelona did not develop Fabregas into a first team player,Arsenal did.You can tell this by quite simply comparing the amount of first team appearances he has made for Barcelona and the amount of first team appearances for Arsenal.He is an Arsenal player under contract at Arsenal and it's a lot more sanctimonious of both Barcelona and Fabregas himself to think he has been on some kind of temporary loan at Arsenal and can pop back to Catalonia whenever they/he feels the time has come.Personally,I think if he wants to go let him.They played their best football when he was injured last year and they don't need a captain whose heart isn't in it.Especially after sacking poor Billy Gallas as captain because his heart was a little too in it."
goonerdean
"I get the feeling every summer that we're just a feeder club for Barcelona!"
michael69
"The sanctimonious outrage coming from Gooners is laughable. Remember, Barca developed him and Arsene Wenger stole him from them. The closest thing to Justice would see Fabregas finish his contract with Arsenal, then sign with Barca on a free transfer to replace Xavi."
red_til_i_die
"mike_christie I know saying that your interested in a player isn't considered tapping up but it is a tactic used to distable players and try and turn there heads. Happened with Ronaldo. Do you reckon if Madrid hadn't been saying how much they wanted to sign him for years before even approaching united officially and talking with his agent that he would have want to go for footballing reasons? Exactly not a chance. What's happening with Alonso and Masch in my opinion is tapping up. Organising a meeting with a players agent/representative to discuss a transfer whether the player is present/has given permission to his agent to speak on his behalf or not without the selling club giving permission to speak to the player is tapping up. If a player wants to play for someone else then fine come out and say it by handing in a transfer request. That way everyone knows where they stand and whats happening. "
geddy76
"I like Barca's subtlety. We should all pay attention to their respect of other clubs.
Or 'lack' of."
Little_Dutch
"In fairness, Wenger did say he'd be interested in Chamukh only yesterday, so we can't really complain. But, yes it is very boring. By the way, my main summer target is Angelina Jolie, I have a lot of respect for Brad Pitt, hell, I loved Fight Club so this should be easy to talk with him about." "
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