No 1 target: Cesc Fabregas
Inter Milan have entered the race to sign Cesc Fabregas and hope
to tempt Arsenal by offering Italy Under 21 star Mario Balotelli in
a player-plus-cash deal worth £36million.
However, the Italians look set to be disappointed, with both the
Gunners and their skipper reluctant to court a deal.
Reports on Italy's Sky Sports network suggested a deal may
already have agreed in principle, but Fabregas's representatives
told Spanish paper El Mundo
Deportivo that there had been no contact, let alone and
agreement between the two parties.
The 22-year-old is also wanted by Barcelona, Real Madrid and
Juventus, but Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger insists he has no
intention of selling his lynchpin.
Mourinho is keen to add another creative midfielder to his squad
and has also encouraged a bid for Liverpool's Steven Gerrard.
Arsenal may seek a separate deal for Balotelli, who appears to
be on his way out of San Siro after clashes with boss Jose Mourinho
led to him being completely left out of the squad to face Chelsea
in the Champions League earlier this month.
Hot shot: Fabregas has been in fine form for
Arsenal
Balotelli has since been filmed wearing an AC Milan shirt - the
team he openly supports - and said of the victory over Chelsea: 'It
was the team that won at Stamford Bridge, not Mourinho.'
The 19-year-old will be left out for the fourth straight game
when Inter play Livorno on Wednesday night.
Inter president Massimo Moratti is a huge fan of Balotelli and
hopes the striker can patch up his differences with Mourinho, but
the striker is the one who will be sacrificed if the relationship
cannot be salvaged.
Manchester City have also been linked with Balotelli, while
Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti is a confirmed admirer.
Meanwhile, a survey carried out by Spanish sports paper
Marca revealed that Real
Madrid fans want Fabregas and Valencia winger David Silva to be
their club's top two transfer targets this summer.
More than 55 per cent of respondents wanted Fabregas - despite
his links to Barcelona - putting him ahead of Wayne Rooney (37.5
per cent), Ashley Cole (24.3 per cent) and Franck Ribery (40.2 per
cent) in the beauty contest.