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Transfer news: Manchester United could return with a third offer having seen £30m bid rejected for Barcelona's Cesc Fabregas

David Moyes admits there is right time to pull out of the transfer, but it seems even an official letter from Barcelona president Sandro Rosell will not prevent them from launching a third improved offer

Jack de Menezes
Tuesday 23 July 2013 11:59 BST
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Cesc Fabregas
Cesc Fabregas

David Moyes has admitted Manchester United are prepared to walk away from his attempt to sign Barcelona’s Cesc Fabregas, but not before they make a reported third bid for the midfielder.

United appear determined to land the 27-year-old, despite having seen two individual bids of £26m and £30m turned down immediately.

It was even being reported in Spanish newspaper Sport that Barcelona president Sandro Rosell had written an official letter to the Premier League champions to tell them that Fabregas is not for sale and they should stop disrupting the player.

The irony of this would amuse many Arsenal fans, who saw a three-year pursuit of their captain by the Catalan club in which they constantly spoke of wanting Fabregas to return to his childhood club, with members of Spain’s victorious 2010 World Cup squad even pulling a Barcelona short over Fabregas during the celebration parade.

A third bid would see United break their current transfer record – that of Dimitar Berbatov from Tottenham for £30.75m in 2008 – but it would depend on Barcelona’s officials changing their so-far stubborn stance on the move.

Moyes did say yesterday that there comes a point when it’s best for everyone to walk away from the transfer.

"I think a point does come," said the Scot.

"But when you are interested in good players you want to give it every opportunity to materialise.

"I will hope things will continue to move forward.

"At this moment in time I can only tell you (executive vice-chairman) Ed Woodward is working hard to try and make the deals happen. We hope some of them will fall into place shortly."

David Moyes is finding it hard to sign Cesc Fabregas

United saw their second bid, although no official word was given, immediately rejected yesterday, and having already missed out on departing Catalan Thiago Alcantara who chose Bayern Munich over Old Trafford, the Red Devils fans’ are becoming a little uneasy with the lack of new faces coming into the club.

"I can understand that feeling," Moyes said. "But there have been quite a few changes. Other managers have changed their clubs too and everybody thought this might be the summer when transfers are done later in the month.

"That was always the thought I had when I came into the club. You have to remember I only started on July 1, so in truth I have only been in the job three weeks at this present time."

Nevertheless, their ‘noisy neighbours’ Manchester City have got their business in early, with the additions of Fernandinho, Jesus Navas, Alvaro Negredo and Stevan Jovetic coming early in the transfer window, and rumoured interest in Benfica’s Eduardo Silva meaning the spending might not be done just yet.

Moyes has also spoken on how the buck now stops with him should United fail to continue the unrivalled success they experienced under Moyes’ predecessor Sir Alex Ferguson.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Moyes said: “It is my team now. I have taken over, I’m in charge. As I have said, I will use the ex-manager as much as I can because of his knowledge, but it is my team now and I have to take responsibility for that.”

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