Barcelona are preparing to make their first official approach to Arsenal to sign Cesc Fabregas today by faxing through an offer in the region of £30 million, Goal.com UK can reveal.
The La Liga champions will make their first formal move after informing Arsenal last week that they were interested in prising the midfielder from Emirates Stadium.
The north Londoners are certain to reject the offer as they reinforce their stance to hang on to Fabregas.
Barcelona are convinced that Fabregas will join them this summer after he flew into London from his Spanish base last week to tell manager Arsene Wenger of his desire to leave the club and return to his boyhood team.
The Primera Division champions believe it is only a matter of time before they agree a deal, although the negotiations could become protracted as Arsenal hold out for a £50m fee for a player they believe is one of the most sought after in the world.
Wenger and the Arsenal board retain the hope that Fabregas can be talked around and, if not, they will hold out for a fee of record-breaking proportions.
Chairman Peter Hill-Wood became the first Arsenal official to go on the record last Friday as he told Goal.com UK that the board have made it clear to Barcelona that the player is not for sale and questioned the European champions’ “funny” tactics of pursuing the player through the Spanish media.
“The message has been given to them we don’t want to lose him and will do our damnedest to keep him,” said Hill-Wood. “We haven’t had an official approach from them and have made it perfectly clear we don’t want to lose him.”
