Barca Tap Up Cesc Then Claim Respect For Arsenal

The simple answer from Arsenal is, "that's cool, give us Xavi and Iniesta and we've got a deal."

"I am concentrating all my efforts on Angelina Jolie, but at the same time I have a lot of respect for Brad Pitt. I quite liked Fight Club, so it will be an easy topic to talk with Brad about."

I think their is a difference. Maybe i am biased, but one thing is when Asked if the Morocco international is of interest, he says: "Yes, but only in the event of a departure." Another is to say "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". On another occasion "It is a super player. He was born in Catalonia and carries Barça in his heart. He would be integrated well in our rows because our style of play is appropriate to him. In fact the technical staff will decide if one tries to make him return, but I think that he would be a wonderful player of our Barça”, declared Joan Laporta during a maintenance on Punto Radio. Another time "i would like to see Fabregas in Barca shirt but it`s a decision of the technical staff. We know Cesc is a great player and that he knows perfectly the style of FC Barcelona," he emphasized at the presentation of "History of Masia" book. Then to claim he has respect for us.

I think we will lose Fabregas in the next couple of seasons unless they are extraordinarily successful times for us, even then I think it will be very difficult to hang on to him. The big European clubs don’t need to waste time and money by making direct approaches for our players as they can just use the media to unsettle them knowing that there won’t be any punitive action afterwards. Barcelona are effectively saying to Cesc through the media that, “as soon as you want to join us just say the word” and you know he must be listening with interest and taking note. The Arsenal board must also be salivating at the potential price tag. We need to look at the reasons why the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona consider us a “feeder” club and try to understand the problem. The perception that we are a club with considerable financial burden is an obvious one. A decent bid for one of our players cannot be ignored. Our European pedigree might be another because we cannot compete with either of those clubs (and most other “big” clubs) in terms of European silverware. Players, understandably, want to include these sorts of clubs in their playing career. There are probably countless other more subtle reasons why our top players can have their heads turned, none of which make comfortable reading for us. I think, in the short term at least, we just have to accept that there are more attractive clubs than Arsenal.

I think it must be a mixture of those three things LD, it all adds up to a mouth watering prospect for these players. Despite Manchester United be one of the most sucessful clubs this country has ever seen (Only a couple of CL's shy of over taking Liverpool) living in Manchester & Liverpool is just not cool. Chelsea can offer the wages but the stadium is not something that would get the juices flowing. Living in London to play for Arsenal might be just cool enough and our facilities are top draw, but we have little to no European pedigree. Unfortunately for us, Real and Barcelona have all of the cool things.

Give us Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Alves and Puyol or ***** off now!

It happens all the time when a big club comes in wanting a very small clubs top player. Get used to it, West Ham and Fulham will be doing it to you over the next couple of seasons when you again return to being a mid table club.