It's hardly surprising. They didn't need him in the first place and he's one of the key reasons Thiago left, which is exactly what was predicted when he was first signed. He's spent so much time in the Premier League that he just seems best suited to playing in England now.
Fabregas
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran are here to talk about a frustrating 2 points dropped at Crystal Palace. They then discuss the regeneration of Old Trafford. Finally, Nik is joined by special guest Michael Statham from the Football Oranje podcast - who gives us a more in depth look at our EL opposition FC Twente, and then runs through the (many) Dutch connections currently at United.
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And he is one of them so its quite damning.
Most Bayern fans didn't want Thiago and most Barça fans want to sell Cesc. If only our midfield was so well stocked that we could consider not wanting either!
They didn't?
They didn't care. Not that they didn't want him but it wasn't a hooray moment or anything.
Not on the forums I looked at. They didn't think they needed him and rightly so.
Most of the Barca fans who don't want to sell Fabregas feel that way only because they believe they will be left short of cover in midfield if he leaves, not because they have a particular liking for him.
cnuts could've told Pep that.
I assume that's the same reason some fans want Anderson to remain...
Tell me about it. This is from an English speaking Bayern forum http://www.bayernzone.com/transfers/3407-thiago-alcantara-3.html and when the news broke that he was going there they were hardly excited
Tell me about it. This is from an English speaking Bayern forum http://www.bayernzone.com/transfers/3407-thiago-alcantara-3.html and when the news broke that he was going there they were hardly excited
Feckin' Yank bastards.
Tell me about it. This is from an English speaking Bayern forum http://www.bayernzone.com/transfers/3407-thiago-alcantara-3.html and when the news broke that he was going there they were hardly excited
Are we all aware that the guy in that first post is mocking us all?
They mock us in every thread, they're just not very good at it.
Yeah, but I'm not pushed. These lads couldn't point out Munich on a map of Germany.
Why would Fabregas want to join United anyway? He's playing at Barca. Most probably he'll win the Primera next year, given Barca are favorites and a better chance at CL than United. And we're not City so I guess the paycheck won't lure him out...
I wouldn't say most. That's how I view it but I feel I'm in the minority in that regard. And based on Wenger's admission of 'one more year', all the more damning that the club prioritized Fab over Thiago.
Well a lot of people seem to think Tito is rather incompetent and not up to following Guardiola. Also, if they're willing to sell him, he's clearly not regarded that highly there. He could be given the chance to join an equally massive club where he would be a main figure, probably get a pay rise and get a chance to compete for the Premier League which he has never won before.
Whilst Barcelona have said that Fabregas doesn't want to leave, they've never come out and said "he's not for sale". Out of all the players we've been linked with over last 24 hours, I think he's the most likely.
Well yeah, but Moyes is not exactly Fergie either. Also Xavi will be 34 next season at January and most likely Fabregas will take over the top dog spot in midfield. Not to mention that he's at home at Spain and played many years for a rival club in England.
For me this transfer is more unlikely than Ronaldo or Bale going to United...
Let's change most to 'a sizeable proportion'
But the point is that if there was an option between losing Fabregas/Thiago, you'd have given Fabregas away. I'm fairly certain that if the opportunity to sign Gundogan presented itself at the cost of losing Fabregas, that would be taken too.
I don't think anyone is suggesting he is particularly seeking a move. What I've seen reported is that he would be open to it if Barcelona wanted to entertain our offer. Saying that though I won't see why they would want to sell him now when they've just sold Thiago and Xavi has fitness doubts so probably won't be playing every game. It'd leave them light on CMs.
He seems to want to stay, Barça seem to want to keep him. Our bid seems strange and ill-timed - unless there is something we are not aware of.
I take what Wenger said with a pinch of salt too as I think he said he hasn't heard anything in a while so doesn't know if he's changed his mind (about giving it another year).
I'm certain Fellaini was mentioned in the last 24 hours and he's far more likely to sign, unfortunately. If Fábregas is indeed the MOST likely... well that would probably mean we're not signing anyone this summer, apart from Varela.
Let's change most to 'a sizeable proportion'
But the point is that if there was an option between losing Fabregas/Thiago, you'd have given Fabregas away. I'm fairly certain that if the opportunity to sign Gundogan presented itself at the cost of losing Fabregas, that would be taken too.
Definitely
Fabregas isnt the same kind of player as Xavi - hence why he's been shunted into various positions, including upfront. He's a more direct player - probably due to the fact that he played his formative years in the PL. To me its a lazy comparison to make between the two.
Xavi is a club legend and wont be forced out. When he goes I suspect they'll have someone who can step up and come in to do the job he does, rather than change the way the side plays by wedging in a player.
He's gone to Barca thinking it'd be all wine and roses. As it stands the fans arent that keen on him (having given him some stick last season) and he gets moved around all over the place. He's gone from being Arsenal captain to essentially being a squad player.
Add to this the obvious fact that there must be some interest from the player, however small or no bid would have been made in the first place. I've no doubt someone will have made contact with his agent to sound him out.
Does anybody else have that same feeling as when you've spent the night trying to pull a really hot girl, she's just fecked off in a taxi with another bloke, and now you're desperately sharking your way round the dancefloor in the hope that you'll pick up somebody pretty fit, but all the while knowing that the you'll probably end up taking the massive chunky one with the stupid afro hair home?
I don't think so. They both thrive in that free role being able to go wherever they want to cause damage, can a side maintain it's structure effectively with two players doing that? What I would imagine is that the whole attack builds itself around Ronaldo while Bale picks his spots it could work....
Or you just go home and order a super hot, expensive escort (like Bale)
What's the latest new??
I doubt they sell him, Wenger's statements pretty much confirm this and I just read Strootman has signed for Roma so where does that leave us?
p.s I only see him coming back to Arsenal he seems to loyal. They are two or 3 signings away from making a proper title challenge.
I doubt they sell him, Wenger's statements pretty much confirm this and I just read Strootman has signed for Roma so where does that leave us?
p.s I only see him coming back to Arsenal he seems to loyal. They are two or 3 signings away from making a proper title challenge.
Anderson?
Why would Wenger have any particular insight, other than that Fabregas used to play there? Has he any clue what gets discussed at boardroom level at Barcelona?
By two or three signings I assume you mean Messi, Ronaldo and Fabregas, in which case most clubs in the league are two or three signings away from a title challenge. Arsenal are about as far away from winning the Premier League as they've ever been.
All that would be very convincing if not for the Thiago issue. If Thiago had been more patient, Barcelona would probably consider letting Fabregas leave this summer. But as it stands, they lost their Xavi heir and imho they'd be stupid to sell Fabregas as well, their midfield would be paper thin even for next season and who knows when Xavi will start declining.
It's hardly paper thin when they'll still have Song and Mascherano, as well as their collection of youngsters, who can play games when any of their main 3 aren't available. I wish our midfield was that paper thin.
Wenger said Cesc wants doesn't want to leave not that Barca don't want to sell. It's not hard to imagine Arsenal being interested if he was available and i'm pretty sure Fabregas would be honest with Wenger, Arsenal is a club he loves and Wenger a manager he respects.
If Arsenal get a striker a quality cm and a good rb I believe they can make a title challenge, I doubt they win it but they will be in amongst the teams fighting. I expect Wenger to be more clued up than most, the same way if Ronaldo became available we would be the first team to know about it.
They've been 2-3 signings away for several seasons. Fabregas knows we are looking for a first choice midfielder. I think he wants to be the main man again, star player etc. He could be that here and win medals. I think If Barca accept an offer he'll come here, and Arsenal fans will hate him for it.
Almost worth it to watch that alone...
He said the last he'd heard he didn't want to leave, unless he'd changed his mind. He probably read the same article the rest of us did.
Also, this "Fabregas loves Arsenal, he'd go there." Is just as silly as when it's said here about Ronaldo.
Mascherano is a centre-back for Barcelona and they need him for that position, badly. Puyol's injured again, Piqué's form has been questionable for a long time now so even if they sign Thiago Silva, they'll need him there. The likes of Bartra don't look ready, the poor guy looked desperately out of his depth against Bayern.
So it's just Song and Sergi Roberto to act as cover for Xavi, Iniesta and Busquest. And Sergi Roberto is a totally untested, unproven player. Yes, their midfield would still be stronger than ours but that shouldn't be a basis of comparison, I'm sure Vilanova won't say that as long as their midfield isn't as bad as United's, it's fine.
He's played centre back because they had nobody else too. If they sign one, and still have the others he won't be needed to play there as much, so will likely play in midfield a bit too. He's still a midfielder, so you still point him as a midfield option.
I don't think he'd be happy to sell just because his midfield still has more options than ours, but it still isn't paper thin, by any stretch of the imagination, like you suggested. Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, Song, Mascherano plus their youngsters. That's at least 5 first teamers, and a few youngsters they seem to have high hopes for, for 3 positions. It's not paper thin, at all.
Wengers comments on Cesc were actually quite uncertain:
"Fabregas has decided to stay one more year at Barcelona," Wenger explained. "Unless he has changed his mind, I don't know... but that's what I've been told.
"We have the [first-option] clause in the contract so we would be on alert but at the moment that's not something we're after."Read more at http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/222327.html#WTokuele2bBeVacM.99
Basically he doesn't know
Unless Cesc has changed his mind as far as he knows he wants to stay AND if he becomes available they will be in for him believe that.
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