This Cesc Fabregas saga has taken another dramatic twist this morning.
Barcelona’s manager Tito Vilanova has said that Fabregas wants to remain at the Nou Camp and snub any potential transfer to Manchester United.
Essentially it’s another huge slap in the face for Red Devils boss David Moyes.
Speaking this morning, Vilanova addressed United’s bid for the Spanish international. “I know he has received offers from other teams,” said Vilanova. “But Cesc has told me he wants to stay here. He has told me it is his dream to stay with Barcelona.”
So that’s the end of that then... But are United really the big losers (Exhibit A, top right photo) in this one?
But why should Fabregas turn down a starring role at some of Europe’s top teams when he’s struggling to hold down a leading role at Barca? Because he loves the club.
Vilanova continued: “He doesn’t want to go to other teams for money reasons or playing time. He knows there is competition for places here, but his decision is to stay. I am relaxed about the situation.”
Fabregas could conceivably pick any club in Europe to play for. And probably captain them and be the leading star. Just like he was at Arsenal for many years and then he outgrew the North London club.
(MORE: Manchester United make $53 million bid for Cesc Fabregas)
But was this what he really wanted when he returned to his hometown of Barcelona? Should he be content with being used out of position and forced to watch on patiently as Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets clog up his midfield role?
If he just wants to play for the club he loves no matter what, you have to admire that. But a question of Fabregas’ ambition, drive and desire pops into my mind.
Doesn’t he want to be the star of the show and lead a European giant to titles? Because he can. Obviously he has already won plenty of trophies since switching the Emirates for Catalan back in 2011. But at Manchester United he would be a key cog in Moyes’ plans for the future.
To put it bluntly Tom Cleverley and Anderson aren’t quite up to the standard of midfielder you’d expect from United. And with the likes of Darren Fletcher’s long-term injury and Ryan Giggs continuing to drift to the peripheral, a key box-to-box midfielder is something Moyes strives to bring in. They tried and failed with Barca’s young star Thiago Alcantara. And now it looks like they’ve had a similar experience trying to pry Fabregas away from Blaugrana.
(MORE: Thiago Alcantara will join Bayern Munich, shun Manchester United)
But if the 26-year-old diminutive midfield genius doesn’t fancy a move to Old Trafford, plenty of other clubs are interested. After United’s bid of $53 million was made public yesterday, the ears of Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal all pricked up.
If Fabregas fancies a change, the EPL’s finest are waiting to court him. But if United can’t entice him to leave Barca, what chance have the others got?
