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Gerardo Martino insists Cesc Fabregas will stay at Barcelona

By on July 26, 2013

20130726-211540.jpgGerardo Martino has put Manchester United’s bid for a successful summer transfer window in serious crisis by saying Barcelona would reject a third offer from United for Cesc Fabregas in his first press conference as Barca manager. Barca, who have rejected £25 and £30 million offers for Fabregas, already gave up Thiago Alcantara to Bayern Munich and do not wish to let another central midfielder go, according to Martino.

“I’m not going to involve myself in the club’s accounts, but considering the club has already rejected two offers, I would guess it will reject a third. In other words, Fabregas will remain here,” the Argentine manager said during his first press conference at the Nou Camp.

Although Fabregas had been a central part of United manager David Moyes’ transfer window plans Barca would now likely only consider selling the former Arsenal captain if he handed in a transfer request. Even if the Red Devils were to lodge their predicted club record £35m bid for Fabregas it would be hard to break down the strangle hold of the Spanish champions on the 26-year-old, who has supported Barca since his childhood.

The 26-year-old graduated from La Maisa and joined Arsenal, but moved back to Barcelona in 2011 after eight successful years in England. Fabregas, like Thiago Alcantara received a rather constricted amount of starts due to Xavi’s dominance of the role, although he made 48 appearances for Barca in both of his two seasons since moving to Martino’s side.

Despite United’s interest in the 26-year-old, Barcelona vice-president Josep Maria Bartomeu backed Martino’s words that Fabregas will stay in Spain, saying: “It’s logical that we’ve had offers for Fábregas because he is a quality player, but he is not for sale. Whatever offer United make, however big, we will say no. Cesc Fabregas will stay a Barcelona player. That United shows interest in Cesc Fabregas is normal. He is a truly great player. It doesn’t annoy us.

“It gives us pride to have such a good player in our team that United want him because they are a great club. But whatever offer arrives from them we are not going to sell Cesc Fabregas. We are counting on him. I think Tata [Martino] was clear that he is counting on him as a player and Andoni Zubizarreta [the director of football] from the first day when we asked him about it saying there was an offer he replied Cesc is not for sale. We are very happy with him.”

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.