Fabregas goes to Barca for £35million

[Niall_Quinn]

By the end of this season Cesc will be the biggest name in Spanish football, wait and see. Pep knew this, he knew how advantageous it would be to seamlessly transition away from Xavi, the old master, to the new king Fabregas. We've let him do that on the cheap, we've essentially handed Barca a get out of jail free card, maybe not for this season but certainly for season to come. They must be laughing their arses off. Having Xavi and Fabregas at the club over the last half decade may well have been a problem, but now the timing is perfect. I bet they bless the day they let Fabregas come here so we could develop him into a worldbeater and hand him back on a virtual free transfer. Well played Barca, you have to hand it to them. Wenger and the board - you got fucked. Make sure it doesn't happen when Jack goes to Utd.

The people who are so keen to make Barca's case need to be reminded, we don't give a shit about them - it;s Arsenal we're concerned about, surely? what's best for Arsenal. I can't figure the logic behind selling our prize asset on the cheap and can't think of another club in world football who would have done it. Need proof? Spurs and Bolton can be criticised and they may even lose out in the long term, but they didn't let themselves get fucked over and that message will reinforce their position next time they are at the negotiating table. As for us? Barca are laughing at how easy it was to prime the pump well before a call was even made. We are pretty pathetic really, from the manager up.

[Niall_Quinn]

And another thing, let's stop using that old cliche, no one player is bigger than the club. Because that's certainly not true with us, is it?

[BOBN]

wenger should have cracked open the miss world spiel for cesc, if barca wont pay then too bad. why the tough talk then and not now? maybe he doesnt take gypsies for sons....

Reports in Spain suggest Atletico had made a bid in the region of £8.1million, while Arsenal were reported to have placed a £12.2million price tag on the Spain international.

Reyes has made no secret of his desire to return to the Primera Liga, with Real Madrid his preferred destination.

Wenger insists no firm proposal has been put forward by the Bernabeu club - and rejected out of hand the one tabled by their city rivals.

"I do not consider that an offer - I consider that an insult," the Arsenal manager declared. "I feel if a player wants to go and you get an agreement with the money you want, he goes - if you do not get that, he stays here.

"We will try to make him happy - but what can we do about the situation?

"When a player has a contract you need an agreement of three parties and you need an offer for a player and we have had no offer."

Wenger added: "I am not annoyed [by the situation] because I take care of the players who play and the players who do not play, what can I do?

"He wants to go Spain and we have no offer, what can I do about it? I can do nothing.

"It is like you wanting to marry Miss World and she does not want you. What can I do about it?

"I can try to help you, but if she does not want to marry you, what can I do?

"If you are not happy, what can I do about it? It is exactly the same."

'You can play a little with the opportunities'

Wenger, however, rejected suggestions he would be better to cut his losses and let the unsettled player leave.

The Gunners boss said: "Everybody comes in then and does exactly the same. You have to be careful with what you do.

"What is important is the interest of Arsenal Football Club."

Wenger insisted: "I have a responsibility towards the club and the fans about how I manage the club.

"It is important that everybody is happy at the club - but there are other interests which are above that."

Arsenal remain in talks with Chelsea over the protracted transfer of England full-back Cole, with Wenger having lodged a formal bid for Blues defender William Gallas.

The Gunners manager, however, insisted: "Do not think that we do not have the money to buy anyone if nobody goes out, that is not true.

"It [buying] would be less needed [if no-one left]. But I can still buy.

"I can buy in January, I can buy now. You can play a little with the opportunities."

[Darth Vela]

By the end of this season Cesc will be the biggest name in Spanish football, wait and see. Pep knew this, he knew how advantageous it would be to seamlessly transition away from Xavi, the old master, to the new king Fabregas. We've let him do that on the cheap, we've essentially handed Barca a get out of jail free card, maybe not for this season but certainly for season to come. They must be laughing their arses off. Having Xavi and Fabregas at the club over the last half decade may well have been a problem, but now the timing is perfect. I bet they bless the day they let Fabregas come here so we could develop him into a worldbeater and hand him back on a virtual free transfer. Well played Barca, you have to hand it to them. Wenger and the board - you got fucked. Make sure it doesn't happen when Jack goes to Utd.

The people who are so keen to make Barca's case need to be reminded, we don't give a shit about them - it;s Arsenal we're concerned about, surely? what's best for Arsenal. I can't figure the logic behind selling our prize asset on the cheap and can't think of another club in world football who would have done it. Need proof? Spurs and Bolton can be criticised and they may even lose out in the long term, but they didn't let themselves get fucked over and that message will reinforce their position next time they are at the negotiating table. As for us? Barca are laughing at how easy it was to prime the pump well before a call was even made. We are pretty pathetic really, from the manager up.

Actually, next time Bolton will come to the negotiating table over Cahill the guy on the other side of the desk will simply say 'take 5m now or lose him for nothing in 6 months, choice is yours', that isn't a wonderfully strong position to regularly take...I agree with the rest but that's a bad example.

[Niall_Quinn]

Actually, next time Bolton will come to the negotiating table over Cahill the guy on the other side of the desk will simply say 'take 5m now or lose him for nothing in 6 months, choice is yours', that isn't a wonderfully strong position to regularly take...I agree with the rest but that's a bad example.

You can look at it another way. Next time a player comes to them with 2 years on his contract and does the old, I'll agitate for a move next year, they can say go ahead, do it, see what you get. They've chosen to take the money they'll lose next year in the form of a player who can do a job for them this year. Who knows how valuable that will be for them? Maybe worth £40mill if he keeps them up. Plus his experience in the team is there for whatever replacement they are grooming. All in all a smarter policy than bending over and definitely in line with putting the club before the player which I think is how it should be. At Arsenal right now a contract means fuck all. The same is true to lesser degrees for all clubs in an age of player power but we've pushed things to a new level.

[Coney]

And another thing, let's stop using that old cliche, no one player is bigger than the club. Because that's certainly not true with us, is it?

It certainly isn't. For instance, Bendtner is bigger than all the PL clubs put together. Our ingratitude is amazing.

[Cripps_orig]

Well OK, that is a viable alternative. But people were already questioning his commitment last year - I believe you were one of them. You think it would have been better to have another season with a disinterested player, worse - a disinterested captain?

Spurs have been tough with Modric and I've heard Spurs fans question whether that's the right call. In some ways I admire them for their stance but personally I'd rather have players who are interested in playing for us.

There is that but then ive also seen people state how much Cesc loves the club so if hes stuck here knowing Barca arent willing to pay what we want, he'd just get his head down and get on with it due to his "love" for the club

[IBK]

I agree with Letters about keeping a want away player. But I feel also that the Cesc situation is partly a result of Wenger's narcissism. He has this principle that he won't stand in the way of want away players - and its part of a general approach to his players that is off-kilter when it comes to his favourites. Wengers darlings rule the roost and like most spoiled kids they ultimately let him, and us down. make no mistake. Wenger's principles and experiments are more important to him than our club. And we have created a monster in a manager who wield far too much power and influence, yet is so deebly imbedded that it will hurt us to part ways.

[AKBapologist]

In one thread AW is blamed for clinging on to players and having to be forced to sell (nasri), in the next he's blamed for selling too soon and going against the wishes of the board.

[Niall_Quinn]

In one thread AW is blamed for clinging on to players and having to be forced to sell (nasri), in the next he's blamed for selling too soon and going against the wishes of the board.

Could be different people making the different points though? I think they are mostly complaining about Wenger and the board getting it wrong regardless, whether it be transfers in, transfers out, contracts, sponsorship deals, tactics, you name it. Not so wrong we get relegated, as Wenger likes to remind us, but wrong enough so we're always second best. Or second rate would be more accurate. I think people are fed up of being second rate.