adminLONDON. — Chelsea and Manchester City have tabled £28.4 million bids for Cesc Fabregas.
The English Premier League big-hitters have made identical moves for the Barcelona midfielder and now appear to be locked in a straight fight to sign him this summer.Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho admitted on Thursday that his club were closely monitoring the situation of Fabregas, who has been told he can leave the Nou Camp this summer.
City also want to lure the 27-year-old back to the Premier League and have followed up their interest with a formal move amid growing uncertainty at the club over the future of Yaya Toure, who has made it clear he is not entirely happy at Etihad Stadium.
But Arsenal have rejected the opportunity to match Chelsea and City’s bids, and will not be re-signing their former captain this summer.
Under the terms of the buy-back clause in Fabregas’ Barcelona contract, the Catalan club had to inform Arsenal of any bid for the player and give them the opportunity to match it.
Manager Arsene Wenger was keen on a reunion with Fabregas but does not want to pay more than £25m for the player.
Arsenal are in the market for a £30m-plus attacker this summer and, given the squad overhaul that is expected to take place, are reluctant to spend more than £60m on just two players. Mourinho went public with his interest in Fabregas when speaking at a Yahoo event in Belgium on Thursday.
Mourinho has admitted Chelsea are interested in signing Fabregas from Barcelona as the midfielder’s Spain team-mate Gerard Pique let slip a £26.8million deal is already done. — Mailonline.
Online Reporter