Catalans will not increase �35m offer for Arsenal captain

Barcelona have admitted are unlikely to be able to meet Arsenal’s valuation of Cesc Fabregas, and that they won’t be held to ransom to sign the Gunners captain.

The Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood revealed on Sunday that the Catalan giants have approached Arsenal about signing Fabregas, although no official offer has been received.

However, the Barcelona president, Sandro Rosell, has made it clear the European champions will not be increasing the 40m euros (�35.4m) bid they made last summer.

“[Pep] Guardiola knows the values of players and Cesc’s is less than €40m (�35.4m),” said Rosell. “Barcelona will offer less and if they [Arsenal] don’t accept, then he won’t come. Pep knows the club is not well-off in terms of money.”

Rosell insisted that Fabregas has suffered ‘wear and tear’ in the past year during which time the 24-year-old has been dogged by hamstring problems and started just 22 times in the Premier League for Arsenal last season.

Fabregas still has four years remaining on his Arsenal contract, and the Gunners are under no obligation to sell, but a year after first revealing his desire to return to his hometown club, the player himself is desperate for the move to happen this summer.