Laporta urges Arsenal to let Fabregas go

Barça have bid £33m for the Arsenal captain (GETTY IMAGES)

Barcelona president Joan Laporta is still hopeful of persuading Arsenal to part with Cesc Fabregas despite having a £33m offer for the Spain international rejected this week. Fabregas is under contract to Arsenal until the summer of 2015 but last month expressed his desire to head back to the club where he played as a youngster before moving to the Gunners seven years ago.

Barça are keen to make that wish become reality, and on Tuesday submitted a written offer to Arsenal that Laporta said was worth £33m. Laporta said: "It's a price that we consider to be his market value. Arsenal have rejected it. Now the sporting director [Txiki Begiristain] must decide what should be the next step.

"We are in negotiations and we'll see how they turn out. At times, these operations are resolved at one speed, and others at another. We have to do everything we can to convince them [Arsenal] that the best thing for all is to reach an agreement."

The outgoing Barça president remains optimistic that the Spanish champions will be able to secure the services of the Arsenal captain, but admitted it may not be easy persuading the Gunners to let their prize asset leave. "The club have full confidence that Arsenal will end up understanding the situation," he said.

Laporta feels the ideal situation for Fabregas would be to have the transfer sorted out before the start of the World Cup. "But it will be difficult because Arsenal are entitled to stand firm and that must be respected," he added.