Real Madrid are set to swoop on Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas and take him from the clutches of bitter rivals Barcelona.
The Gunners have set a $76.5 million price tag for Fabregas and both Real and Barca are expected to tussle for his services.
Spanish reports say that Fabregas, not for the first time, is eyeing off a summer move back to Camp Nou, the club he played with as a teenager.
But Real officials spoke to Arsenal officials this week and are keen to negotiate.
It’s been reported if Fabregas was to leave the Gunners, he would not be offered to English rivals Chelsea and Manchester City, who are also keen on the 24-year-old.
Last month, Arsene Wenger said he was confident Fabregas would stay at the Emirates.
“I expect him to be here, and I will fight very hard to keep him here. You have always to fight when you have a player of that quality. You must always fight to keep your players.
“What guarantees you that if you go somewhere else you will win trophies? The biggest pride for a captain is to be committed to his club and deliver trophies with his team.
“A player who changes his club every time he is frustrated or when he doesn’t win a trophy, goes nowhere. I believe the quality of sports life is to be committed to your club and not just to move out when it does not go as well as you expected.”
Fabregas is currently on holiday in the United States.
by Buford Balony
