Barcelona Line Up £45million Bid For Arsenal Pair?

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La Liga giants Barcelona are set to test the resolve of the board at Arsenal, with a sensational £45million double swoop being mooted to Gunners captain Cesc Fabregas and striker Robin van Persie away from the Emirates Stadium, according to the Daily Star.

Barca, are believed to be upbeat that they can prise long-term target 21-year-old Fabregas along with 25-year-old Dutch International Van Persie from the Premier League club. Having signed Alexander Hleb from Arsenal last summer.

Arsenal’s playmaker Fabregas, who left the Catalan club to join the Premiership side in 2003, has been consistently linked with a move back to Spain, with Real Madrid also heavily linked to the midfielder. Fabregas has always insisted he would like to move back to Spain in the future, with Barcelona the more likely destination due to the players, strong links with the club.

It is now understood that Van Persie is also on the radar of the La Liga pacesetters after a meeting between Blaugrana coach Pep Guardiola and sporting director Txiki Beguiristain.

A Barca source says: “This is not the first time that Barca have looked at Van Persie, but there is a feeling that he has now matured and is ready for the move.”

Although a move is unlikely during this transfer window for the pair, especially with Spanish International Fabregas out injured for the next three-months with a knee ligament injury. A £45million bid for both Fabregas and Van Persie is expected in the summer, with Barca midfielder Yaya Toure likely to be part of any deal that brings the pair to the Nou Camp.

Arsenal To Swoop For Barca Outcast?

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Arsenal are ready to reignite their interest in Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure, younger brother of Gunners defender Kolo, with a £6million offer for the Ivory Coast International being mooted in January, according to The Sun.



Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger had been heavily linked with a move for 25-year-old Toure in the summer, but were put off by the £15million price tag put on the combative midfielder by the Catalan club.

However, Toure has fallen out of favour at the Nou Camp under new Barca coach Pep Guardiola and has not featured for Guardiola at all in La Liga this season after a successful debut season for Barcelona in 2007/2008. Where Toure made 26 league appearances for the Spanish club following his transfer from AS Monaco.

Toure has had a trial at the Premier League club, but failed to earn a contract with Wenger’s North London side and was signed by the Blaugrana, where the midfielder has impressed. Toure did also reveal recently the interest by the Gunners in the summer and that he had chose to stay at Barcelona, but with the midfielder not able to break into the Barca first-team this season Toure could see a reunion with brother Kolo at the Emirates Stadium as the perfect solution in January.

Spurs Weigh Up January Bid For Barca Prodigy?

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Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly weighing up a bid for Barcelona prodigy Gai Assulin when the transfer window reopens in January after reports in Spain have suggested that the Israeli International is ready to quit the Nou Camp.

17-year-old Assulin is believed to be frustrated at his progression at Barca, with passport problems preventing the Israeli from following Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola from the B Team at the Catalan club into the senior side at the Nou Camp.

Assulin has a £15million buyout clause inserted in the three-year deal he signed this summer with the Blaugrana, but signed the deal on the presumption that he would be part of the Barca senior set-up this season and should be allowed to leave the La Liga giants for considerably less in January.

The attacking-midfielder’s situation at Barcelona has alerted new Spurs boss Harry Redknapp, who is understood to be considering a January move to bring Assulin to White Hart Lane.

Assulin has been at the La Liga side since 2003, with the young starlet coming through the Barca youth set-up to score 10 goals in 28 appearances for Barcelona Atletic last season in helping them win the league title. With his performances attracting the interest of Arsenal, Man United and AC Milan this summer, who could decide to reignite their interest in the midfielder. Assulin has played once for the Barca first-team when he came on a a substitute in the semi-final of the Copa Catalunya against Girona in September 2007.

However, despite the interest of several of Europe’s top sides, Spurs could hold the key, with Assulin sharing the same agent as former team-mate and friend Giovanni Dos Santos, Pini Zahavi, who was behind the transfer of Giovanni to the North London club this summer from Barca.

Barca Chief To Sell Xavi Against Guardiola's Wishes To Land Arsenal's Fabregas?

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Barcelona president Joan Laporte is understood to be stepping up his efforts to sign Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas, with the Catalan club chief even prepared to sell Spanish International Xavi, despite coach Pep Guardiola insisting last week that Xavi (below) remains at the Nou Camp as long as he remains in charge, according to Spanish radio station Onda.

Recent reports have claimed that EURO 2008 winner Xavi is unhappy at the La Liga side, with talks on a new deal at Barca stalling as he seeks parity with the top earners at the Nou Camp. Which has led to speculation that he could leave Barcelona next summer, with Serie A side Juventus interested in Xavi, who was voted player of the tournament at EURO 2008.

Should Xavi not extend his current contract at Barcelona then Laporte could be forced into selling the Blaugrana midfield general, with the midfielder’s deal running out in 2010 and despite having a buyout clause of £100million, it is understood that the Barcelona vice-captain would be allowed to leave for considerably less.

However, these latest reports that Laporte is willing to lure Fabregas from the Emirates Stadium back to the club he left as a 16-year-old at all costs, including selling Xavi, will anger Guardiola, who sees Xavi as an integral part of the Catalan side. With the former Barca legend declaring last week that Xavi will remain at Barcelona, while he is in charge.

“With me as coach Xavi remains here, that is non-negotiable,” Guardiola said ahead of the La Liga match against Malaga.

21-year-old Fabregas has constantly been linked over the past couple of seasons with Barca’s great rivals Real Madrid, but it is hard to imagine Fabregas ever playing for Los Merengues given his attachment to the Blaugrana, and did reveal recently that “It would be a dream” to return to his boyhood club.

“I would like to try to win more titles here, although next season we'll see,” Fabregas said.

“It would be a dream to return to Barcelona one day.”

With Arsenal struggling in the Premier League and not having won a trophy since the 2005 FA Cup, Fabregas could decide to return to Barcelona next summer if the Gunners have a fourth season in a row without any silverware, but whether Xavi is sold to accommodate the signing of Fabregas remains to be seen. However Laporte could go over Guardiola’s head, with the Barcelona president seeing the capture of Fabregas as the key to holding on to the presidency after narrowly getting re-elected earlier this year.

Six Premier League Clubs Chasing Barcelona Prodigy Assulin?

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No fewer than six Premier League clubs could be in the hunt to sign Barcelona prodigy Gai Assulin when the transfer window reopens in January, with Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Chelsea, Portsmouth, Manchester United and Manchester City along with AC Milan all reportedly interested in the young attacking midfielder.

17-year-old Assulin is believed to be frustrated at his progression at Barca, with passport problems preventing the Israeli International from following Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola from the B Team at the Catalan club into the senior side at the Nou Camp.

Assulin has been at the La Liga side since 2003, with the young starlet coming through the Blaugrana youth set-up to score 10 goals in 28 appearances for Barcelona Atletic last season in helping them win the league title. With his performances attracting the interest of Arsenal, Man United and AC Milan this summer, who could decide to reignite their interest in the midfielder. Assulin has played once for the Barca first-team when he came on a a substitute in the semi-final of the Copa Catalunya against Girona in September 2007.

Spurs along with City, Chelsea and Pompey are all believed to be monitoring the situation at the Nou Camp, with Assulin having the same agent as Giovanni Dos Santos, Pini Zahavi, who was behind the transfer of Mexican Giovanni’s summer move to White Hart Lane.

However, with Assulin considered one of the future stars of Spanish football there will no shortage of suitors for the young Israeli should he become available in January.