Cesc Fábregas will not follow Thierry Henry from Arsenal to
La Liga. Real Madrid made an approach at the end of last week but
the 20-year-old midfielder rejected them for the second consecutive
summer and committed himself to Arsenal for the new
season.
His agent, Joseba Díaz, last night confirmed that Fábregas had made
a final decision and that it was "impossible" for the Spain
international to leave Arsenal this summer. "Real Madrid want Cesc
but he is very happy in London - he will stick with Arsène Wenger,"
said Díaz. "He is grateful for the interest that Madrid have shown
but now he prefers to stay with Arsenal. No one can say what will
happen forever but we have talked about now and it is impossible to
change clubs for Cesc."
Wenger will be delighted by Fábregas's decision, but Arsenal have
been annoyed by Madrid's tactics over the past week. The Spanish
champions said they had held talks with Wenger about succeeding the
former coach Fabio Capello - a claim flatly denied by Arsenal - and
then talked about their admiration for Fábregas.
Bernd Schuster, on his first day as coach this week, praised the
Catalan midfielder, and the club's president, Ramón Calderón,
earmarked Fábregas, Chelsea's Arjen Robben and Milan's Kaka as the
three players he wanted to bring to the Bernabéu as part of his
election campaign. An approach was also made last summer but
Fábregas pledged his loyalty to Wenger and agreed a new eight-year
contract.
The central reason for Fábregas's contentment at Arsenal is Wenger,
whom he regards as his mentor and the best person to oversee his
development. "Arsène Wenger is a very, very important person in
Cesc's life," said Díaz. "Arsenal was the club that found him and
developed him when he is younger. Cesc is a very important player
this season now that Theirry Henry has gone to Barcelona."
