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By Tony Attwood
1. Because as soon as Barca have him they will do the same thing with Ignasi Miquel who left Barca under similar circumstances.
This really is a key point because Arsenal transferred Cesc quite properly within the laws of the game, and yet the local mayor talks about Arsenal kidnapping the player, and their own team endlessly bleat about Cesc having something odd about his DNA.
Cesc was transferred aged 16 according to UK law. In Spain the club cannot offer a contract at 16, so yes, the UK clubs have an advantage. But there’s two other points.
First the player and his family has to want to come and has to want to sign. Contrary to Barca commentaries, the player is not kidnapped or held against his wishes.
Second, in other areas Spain has the advantage. Take the issue of getting an EU passport. In Spain it is much easier for a player to get the work permit and much easier to get an EU passport than in the UK. In the UK it is easy for Australians to get a work permit. The problem is there are not that many great Australian players around.
Miquel is playing for the Spain under 18 side in the world cup at the moment. Barca will be after him as soon as they have Cesc – if they have him.
2. Because we might never get the money.
Last year Barca failed to pay their players, and since then even the club has admitted its financial problems which for year after year they denied having. In fact those denials are a good reason for us not to believe a word the club says.
But we have covered their problems here continuously, showing the depth of their financial ineptitude. There’s no doubt they don’t have the money to buy any new players, and yet they go on doing so. What’s more they have nowhere to go to get more money. They are unlikely to get any more paying customers through the door, they have sold the sacred shirt front, they have done world-wide marketing to death, they have a unique TV deal that gives them something like 25% of all the football TV revenue in Spain, and they can hardly be more successful than they already are.
Indeed that is the disaster of Barca. The most successful team on the planet, and they are losing money.
The transfer that could give Barcelona the funds to make a successful bid for Cesc Fábregas could also help Roma limit their exposure to Uefa’s financial fair play rules. That was the transfer of Bojan Krkic to Roma on a two-year contract.
But even that deal is odd and it shows how crazed the club has become. He was sold for €12m but Barcelona can buy him back for €13m when the contract expires. If they do not take up that option, Roma will have to pay €40m transfer fee to take him on permanently.
This is a semi-crazed way of getting around FFP since Krkic will be registered as being on loan. Thus Barcelona can spend the fee as revenue.
3. Because Barca already have a team and not only would Cesc risk not being paid he will also risk not playing.
Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta play central midfield for Barca and for Spain which is why Fábregas was on the bench during the 2010 World Cup.
Barca play 4-1-2-3. So where does Fábregas fit? I don’t know. Maybe you do. The manager is not going to take out Sergio Busquets and play him in Song’s position.
So maybe it is all a hoax?
Sandro Rosell, the Barcelona president, has spoken about Cesc’s declining value and talks about waiting until 31 August. Arsenal are saying, deal now or not at all.
Rossell said, “There is a sum of money in the strong box set aside for this signing but if it doesn’t work out it will be kept in the box for something else.”
But Arsenal know Barcelona are £400m in debt, which is one reason why they reduced their bid this year by £10m from last year.
Or a double bluff?
Barca have to bid for Cesc to keep the fans and the local papers happy – having him is a publicity stunt. But Mr Wenger is brilliant at knowing just when a player’s usefulness is coming to an end. Although Thierry Henry won stuff at Barca he never reached anything like the earlier heights he had reached at Arsenal. But he was a trophy that Barca wanted, so they paid.
And trophy is what they have in mind here – the mighty but bankrupt Barca can still click their hands and clubs have to pay up.
So my guess is that if Arsenal do sell him it will be because a) Barca have offered more than his worth, and b) Arsenal don’t need him any more.
I would refer you back to the two teams I outlined in the last post…
One of the Polish pair
Sagna Vermaelen Jagielka Gibbs
Wilshere Song
Nasri
Gervinho Van Persie Mata
Back up players also all in place in every position
The other Pole
Carl Jenkinson, Laurent Koscielny, Djourou, Traore
Frimpong
Rosicki, Ramsey
Miyaichi, Chamakh, Walcott
Ryo, Bartley, Cesc, Nasri, Jagielka, Mata; the new line up and the back up team.
Goal line technology might be with us within a year
All power to the clubs: let the revolution begin
Star players don’t come to Arsenal because Arsenal are straight
We’ve got our own column in the Arsenal official programme this season!
I guarantee you now that Mata would play in the centre not Nasri in that line up.
mata has better passing ability than nasri who tends to hold the ball a little too much and play too many one twos. so switch nasri out to the flank and mata to the middle.
In our press it said that Barca bought Sanchez from Udinese (or whatever?) but that they are paying the deal over 5 years!!! I would be angry with the board if they would agree such a deal for Cesc. Get him NOW, pay him NOW. Not in instalments spread over 5 years or so…
Now that would be something that would really piss me off if Arsenal would agree such a Henry-Hleb scenario again. I was wondering if Henry and Hleb have been paid for properly by now?
Yes Walter, they are paying over a long time. I don’t understand why these clubs are allowing Barca enjoy a “head, I win, tail you lose” situation. Imagine the Bojan deal! I hope people will impress strongly upon our board to demand fresh £50 notes from them- right on the table!
Good post Tony. I don’t like the concept of a bankrupt club like Barca buying Fab or anyone by instalment. What happens if they officially declare bankruptcy in a year or so – I assume we would lose all outstanding instalments.
I hope Fab stays, I really enjoy his sublime skills – also as Barca have behaved like total scum towards Arsenal and Fab I don’t like the idea of selling to them.
For the last 2 years, we have been through this Cesc saga. Now, I believe that Wenger wants to off-load him to Barca(provided they come up with the money).
Looking at trades that AW has conducted in the past, I totally trust his judgement in moving on Fabregas. We wish him the best there-he gave some good years to us.
Tony, I like the new line-up too.
if fab goes i lose a tenner so i still believe he will stay.
Much as we want Cesc 2 stay @ the emirates, we shldn’t 4get of his loyalty n comitment 2 de club.For all dis while, he is being quit abt de rumours, n there is a saying dat, ‘silence means concern’. Honestly, we ar sick n tired of him.AW shld show him de exit.The club is biger den him. Guners 4 lyf.
If we get Jaglieka how about a goal keeper
Not a good Press Conf at all. AW gave a clear indication that Cesc is not cooperating “not settled”. After training for the past 3 weeks with Sol Campbell, youth team etc. there is no way that he could not at least put in a short appearance over the weekend. So it looks like Cesc is forcing the issue. This is a disaster as it means that there is collusion with Barca who have made it clear that they will not increase their offer and want to do the deal even on the last day of the season. So Cesc to hold out and refuse to play through August until Arsenal sell him cheaply in the last days of August – little bargaining position over a player that wants away and Barca know it and won’t pay a fair fee.
I’ll be very disappointed if this scenario works out. AW did concede late in the press conference that if they accept to sell in such circumstances at any price there the system is screwed up. But what alternative do they have? (play him in the reserves?)
Likewise with Nasri. Ideally a motivated Cesc stays and they can give Nasri one final ultimatum to sign an extension, or if still uncooperative sell him now. If he stays and runs down the contract that gives an awful message to RvP, Theo and others with 2 yrs on their contracts. The Flamini/Nasri route becomes an option for more players. Complete disaster.
I can only think that they have a few potential replacements in the pipeline and want to get them sorted soon.
Is anyone here aware that Barcelona’s chairman, Sandro Rosell, is being investigated in Brazil for corruption relating to his company, Ailanto Marketing, which allegedly was paid roughly R$9 million (US$4 Million) to promote and organize a friendly match between Portugal and Italy which took place in Gama, Italy in 2008.
The scandal is alleged that Rosell’s company didn’t have to spend a penny, the CBF (Brazilian FA) picked up the tab for the expenses related to the match.
Sandro Rosell has had close ties to Ricardo Teixeira since 1996 when Rosell directed Nike in Brazil and secured a big money sponsorship deal between Nike and the CBF.
Also note that Teixeira was named in the Panorama special.
http://www.blogdodonnysilva.com.br/?p=22910 (in portuguese)
Here is a video link of the news show from July 12th, 2011 which reported on Ricardo Teixeira, Sandro Rosell, and another of their associates, Claudio Honigman.
It starts at 14 minutes into the video (in portuguese)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6angyrPTMfY
Cartoon photo of the three amigos.
http://i.imgur.com/qEkDX.jpg
If Cesc were to play in Arsenal’s CL qualifiers 13/14 Aug & 23/24 Aug, would that rule him out of FCB CL campaign if he were subsquently sold to them?
So if Barça really do want him, wouldn’t they be doing their utmost to sign him before 13 Aug, rather than banging on about deadline being 31 Aug?
I really do think Wenger and the board should play hardball with not just Barca, but with Cesc himself! He should be stripped of the captaincy and made to fight for his jersey for showing lack of commitment to the team. A General cannot lead his company of soldiers to war and expect to win, when his rooting for his enemies. And i would have done this since last summer! Btw Tony, the new team really does look good.
This article would have been complete if the other side of the story too was written….on why Cesc should go to that club in spain….and let the readers know both the pros and cones of moving or not moving to Spain….
Hi Tony thanx, Tony How bankrupt are the MANURE’S!!About Cesc he has nothing to do but play for the Arsenal until Arsene says otherwise.
As of Nasri,sell him off to Turkey or Italy or let him play in the reserves for he would be the one to appreciate most what Arsene/Arsenal did for him when he was a no one. Tony how many seasons have the hangmen left us for dead but come back and rose again!You wont be in the top 4!I pity them for we have been there and we will be there. Lets go ARSENAL let the CANONS GOOOO
Clerkenwell G. I thought for a while that Arsenal were doing the right thing in saying to Cesc – Ok we’ll wait for a fair price for you and let you sit down in the meantime. But now it is obvious that he is not cooperating. There is no way Pastore can go for £44m and Cesc for less than that. But as Barca know that Cesc will not agree to go to any other team Barca are trying it on with a low quote. This will only work if Cesc is un-cooperative in not playing now/agitating for the move.
The longer he agitates (team photo this Thursday!!) the worse Arsenal’s position (one reason AW is strongly against the transfer window going into the season). Again this Barca tactic only works if Cesc agitates. He was professional last season but not now.
If he plays in the CL qualifiers he won’t be eligible for Barca so another obvious problem.
I hope the club stays firm over this as it sets an awful precedent if they cave in to the Barca lousy bid.
Ignassi Miquel is a little different than Cesc because Barcelona didn’t think he was good enough and dumped him when he was 11 years old. He had to find a new club, and blossomed at UE Cornellà.
Notwithstanding, I’m sure Barcelona would covet him and pour out the Barça DNA spiel if he develops into a great CB.
@Dark Prince,
I think the positives for going to Barca are pretty obvious. Cesc can do very little yet pick up a CL winners medal (or at least stand the best chance of doing so) like Hleb did. He can then spend a year on loan at a midtable Bundesliga club then another year at a midtable club in England…
Alternatively he could do a Szczesny and injure Xavi in training for length enough that when people say Xavier Hernandez the response will be, “don’t you mean Javier Hernandez?”
cesc- dont sell him unless they pay the asking price and all up front.
if he is not committed bench him for 5 years and give the captaincy now to someone committed.
nasri-sell him to clubs outside uk for as much as possible.
this should not run more than the next weekend, this story should be over asap.