The Cesc Fabregas to Manchester United story has taken another twist as the Spanish champions had told United to stop wasting their time over Cesc Fabregas.
Barcelona sports vice-president Josep Maria Bartomeu told the Spanish newspaper Sport
“The player will be staying with us. The club will not sit down to negotiate his sale with anyone.”
“Barca can ensure they will not entertain any offers for Cesc. He is completely non-transferable,”
Meanwhile David Moyes in a press conference in Australia today gave a very different impression of the negotiations saying:
“I’m in contact with the executive vice chairman [Ed Woodward], who has been dealing with it just now.”
“I’ll hopefully know a little more in the next day or so. It’s the middle of the night back in England right now so I may have a bit more information in the next day or so about how it’s going.”
The United boss continued: “We’re trying very hard to make some additions to the squad and hopefully there’ll be some good news in the not too distant future.”
That United made a £26m bid for Fabregas in the first place was really surprising as both Cesc and Barca had publicly said that the midfielder was going nowhere. Obviously privately, one or both of them were saying something different.
So how will this end? I cannot see Barcelona selling Fabregas and Thiago in the same summer. Which means that United’s hunt for a world class midfielder will go on. But the clock is ticking for Moyes and United as they play Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City in their opening five games. If United wait until late August to bring in a top player, they will miss the opening series of games, ones that could potentially end United’s title dreams before 2 September.
