Barca continue Fab pursuit

(GSM) – Barcelona president Joan Laporta has insisted that he has not given up hope of signing Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas this summer.

Fabregas, a product of the Barca’s youth academy, has been hotly pursued by his former employers, who feel they have every right to have the 23-year-old back from Arsenal.

And the midfielder’s declaration of interest in a move back to Camp Nou has given the Catalans every hope of successfully capturing him.

Fabregas informed Gunners’ boss Arsene Wenger earlier this month of his desire to leave Emirates Stadium, giving Spanish champions hope of tying up a deal despite admitting they face difficult negotiations with Arsenal.

“We are being prudent in the sense that we are not going to do things that are not logical,” Laporta told the Spanish press.

“We have a player who has expressed his intention of coming to Barcelona. He (Fabregas) has said it and I want to thank him publicly for that decision.”

With Fabregas’ contract at the club expiring in 2015, Laporta admits that Arsenal hold all the cards.

“We are working on it,” Laporta said. “We will try to achieve his signature and if we don’t get there with time, at least we will have opened a path.

“The possibility is always there but the other part (Arsenal) has to defend their interests and perhaps has a different strategy. We are trying to find a halfway point for both sides to agree.”