Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas is worth less than what we offered last year – Barcelona president Sandro Rosell

Sandro Rosell, Barcelona (Getty Images)

Related Links

Teams

Players

Barcelona president Sandro Rosell believes that Arsenal‘s Cesc Fabregas is worth less than what the club offered for him last summer.

In a press conference on Thursday, Rosell hinted that the club could dip into next year’s budget in order to get the players they desire and admitted that the Spanish midfielder remains a target though insisted that he is not worth as much 12 months later.

He said: “Cesc Fabregas? I guess he’d like to join us, like a lot of players would, but we won’t go mad and offer silly fees. Last year we offered €40m (£35m) for Cesc, this season his value is less. What we can offer will also depend on his salary. Clubs like Chelsea and Manchester City are heating up the market, by offering prices out of the market.”

Rosell stated that the Spanish champions are prepared to spend more than their summer transfer budget of £40 million if necessary in order to suitably strengthen their squad for next season.

The Catalans recently announced that they have a £40m transfer kitty to fund new additions, but they have been linked with expensive moves for players such as Fabregas, Udinese forward Alexis Sanchez and Villarreal star Giuseppe Rossi.

He stated: “We’ll see what happens in the transfer market. Initially, we have £40m but we might use part of next year’s money too. Pep Guardiola has his preferences, but he doesn’t talk about names, he talks about positions that should be strengthened.

Prior to Rosell’s appointment at the helm of the Catalan giants last summer, a member of his bid for the presidency had suggested that signing Fabregas would be “easy”, but the chief stated that the club’s dire economic situation was not apparent at the time.

When asked if the director in question regretted the remark, he responded: “He said it without knowing that the debt of the club was of £465 million. He lacked that information. Of course he repents.”

The Barca supremo then reflected on their recent acrimonious encouters with rivals Real Madrid, and added that the Champions League winners will cut all their ties with the capital club if they “cross the limits of sportsmanship” again.

The relationship between the two sides came under pressure following the outburst of Madrid  coach Jose Mourinho shortly after his side’s 2-0 home loss in their Champions League semi-final first-leg meetingg, while the Copa del Rey winners’ physical approach in the four Clasico clashes late in the 2010-11 campaign only exacerbated the situation.

Rosell added: “Madrid made accusations and conspiracy claims without any ground. They’ve tried to win off the pitch what they couldn’t win on it. We want to turn the page now, but if Madrid again cross the limits of sportmanship, we won’t hesitate to break all relations.

“A few days ago the president of Real Madrid said he would not stop until the club had won a tenth European Cup.

“We hope that they attempt this on the pitch, in a sporting manner and rediscovering a way of behaving that I believe many Madrid fans want.

“The president of Real Madrid has a chance to reconstitute our relations, on and off the pitch. 

“Football, which usually gives you back what you put in, will be the great beneficiary.

Finally, the president looked back at Barca’s season as a whole, and described the campaign, where the team collected La Liga and Champions League titles, as the finest in the illustrious history of the club.

“With already 15 trophies won, this has been the best sporting season in the history of the club. The three best moments of the season? The 5-0 against Madrid, win at Wembley against Manchester United, and Eric Abidal coming on at the Camp Nou after recovery.”