Barca ‘re-establish contact’ with Arsenal over Fabregas

So the transfer window has closed but that hasn't stopped many of those at the sharp end of recent wheeling and dealings to reflect on what might have been. And nowhere does the regret seem keenest than at the Nou Camp, where Barcelona continue to bleat about their failure to lure Cesc Fabregas from Arsenal. The club's technical director, Andoni Zubizarreta, has come clean about just what they were ready to stump up for the 23-year-old Spaniard.

"Both the club and the player did as much as possible," whined Zubizarreta. "Our second offer was €40 million but from the moment Arsenal said they didn't want to negotiate, we respected their position."

Respect and Barcelona mentioned in the same sentence... there's a first, but Zubizarreta is convinced that the Gunners bear Barcelona no malice for the shameless way they tapped up Fabregas for most of the last season. "We would have liked to have signed him, but we weren't able to negotiate," he explained, adding: "It wasn't a disappointment – it was simply impossible. Thanks to the conversations, we have re-established contact with Arsenal."

Meanwhile Welsh wizard Gareth Bale was apparently the target for a "big money bid" during the summer but the Tottenham winger chose to turn it down and remain at White Hart Lane. Wales manager John Toshack made the claim though he was coy on which club was dangling the carrot: "It was a big-money bid - it's big money to me anyway," joked Toschack, who replied when asked to name the club: "I wouldn't do that out of confidence for the people who have informed me... you'll have to ask Tottenham, they know about it."

Finally, Blackburn Rovers' new signing, Zimbabwean striker Benjani Mwaruwari, has had a pot shot at his former employers Manchester City, accusing some players of being more interested in cash than club. Benjani was released by the Sky Blues at the end of last season after nearly three years, and he doesn't appear to have any regrets about leaving Eastlands. "In football money is not everything," said the 32-year-old. "What is needed is people who can hang around and love you to be there. Sometimes you are loved to be there because of money, which is not good." And asked whether money was the driving force in the City dressing room, Benjani replied: "Yes, it seemed like that and behind the scenes, there is no trust. I would prefer to play for a club where you are being trusted and you trust everyone around you." ·