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19 March 2024

Latest Arsenal transfer news: Man Utd, Barca flops put Fabregas, Van Persie back in Wenger’s dream team

Published
By Staff with Agencies

It may be too early to start speculating, but it’s never too early for the backroom wheeling and dealing to begin.

Arsenal fans are faced with another nervy close to the season, not for the title, but for the regulation fourth spot finish.

This time though silverware is likely to decorate the Emirates after eight years – Hull stands between Arsene Wenger and the FA Cup.

The focus is already on next season and talk is once again about building a title-winning team, not one that merely makes the top four finish an interesting race.

Arsene Wenger’s position as manager will once again be under the spotlight, but surely Wenger wants his farewell season to end with a Premier League title (cue, Sir Alex Ferguson’s timing at Old Trafford).

Lionel Messi will not be sold, Barcelona has confirmed. So whether it is Manchester City or indeed, Arsenal that have harboured dreams of landing Messi for that one magical season, it is unlikely.

Lionel Messi will continue to be Barcelona's leading light despite the Argentine superstar suffering a stream of criticism in recent weeks, the Spanish team's president said Saturday.

The one player whose future is being called into question at the Nou Camp, at least by the fans is Cesc Fabregas.

The former Arsenal man has time and again seemed to lack the killer instinct to impact games in a manner that the fading lights Xavi and Iniesta once did.

In fact a recent poll among the Barca faithfull showed Yaya Toure as the player they would most like to have, this despite the Man City mid-field general’s misgivings about him being racially discriminated against in Europe.

Fabregas coming back to Arsenal, with his Barca experience now, is surely a temptation Wenger will find hard to resist.

Then there is Robin Van Persie. As David Moyes looks to spend a few years (or at least one) out of top four and Champions League, Van Persie, having won his title with Sir Alex last season, may want to move on quickly, given that age and fitness are not on his side.

A return to the Emirates may not be totally out of the question, especially is the likes of Fabregas is in the picture as well.

However, for the moment all eyes are on Lionel Messi.

 Josep Maria Bartomeu insisted that Messi should not have been singled out for blame as Barcelona's season has slowly unravelled in recent weeks.

"I think people are being unfair to Leo Messi," Bartomeu told Spanish TV3.

"He has led us to so many wins in recent years. He has led the team, and done so very well and we have no doubt that he will continue to lead the club into the future.

"He's a young player, the best in the world and we have every faith in him."

Messi came in for flak after Barcelona were eliminated in the Champions League quarter-finals by Atletico Madrid, lost 1-0 to Getafe and then slipped to a 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the final of the Copa del Rey.

But Bartomeu said that the club would have no hesitation in handing Messi a new deal.

"He has a contract until 2018 but we want to make him an offer because we need to adapt to the current situation in football," said the president.