Cesc to bid farewell

Arsenal look closer than ever to selling club captain Cesc Fabregas as reports leaked from the Emirates Stadium that linked the Spaniard with a return to Barcelona.

It emerged last week that the Gunners rebuffed a bid from Barcelona for their former player, an offer which was thought to be in the region of £27million.

However, a senior figure at the club admitted that they could part ways with Fabregas should an interested party come closer to meeting their valuation of the midfielder.

It is thought that Arsenal are resigned to losing the player after a long trophy drought rumbled on in 2010/11, though Barcelona are thought to be some way short of the North Londoners’ asking price of around £40million.

Arsenal’s board are thought to be keen on the idea on cashing on the 24-year-old as they do not wish to keep a player on the books who wants to be playing elsewhere, but team manager Arsene Wenger has repeatedly stated his desire to hold on to the World Cup winner.

New owner Stan Kroenke will be key what happens at The Emirates this summer, as he aims to build a strong relationship with Wenger.

Any sale of the player may also depend on another variable, the expected acquisition of Argentine midfielder Ricardo Alvarez.

But it is thought that European champions Barcelona are keen to tie up a deal quickly and may lose interest should Arsenal stall on their maximum offer.

Those looking at football betting tips note how the Catalan giants are said to want to have Fabregas at the Nou Camp by next week, before Arsenal embark on a gruelling pre-season tour of the Far East.

Meanwhile, Wenger’s move for Alvarez may be scuppered by some alleged interest in the player’s services from Inter Milan.

But news of such interest from the Nerazurri may cause Wenger into action and he could be set to make a concrete offer for the Velez Sarsfield player, who is valued at around £11million.