Fabregas drops more hints about return to Barcelona

Has Arsenal's week of woe finally persuaded captain Cesc Fabregas that his future lies elsewhere? It seems that the 22-year-old midfield maestro has begun to drop hints the way his club have dropped points recently, and the latest indication he will soon be on his way to Barcelona came in an interview with Catalunya Radio.
 
"Do I want to return [to Barcelona]? I've never hidden it," said the young Spaniard. "I've spent all my life wearing their colours, but for some reason I had to leave." But then Fabregas, who left the Nou Camp for Arsenal at the age of 16, began to backtrack, saying: "I do not like talking about the future. I am grateful for my life as a Gunner."

Fabregas's very public display of affection for his old club is sure to infuriate Arsenal, who feel that Barcelona have opened a dirty war in their desire to secure the services of the player. According to the Daily Mirror, Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis has written to Barcelona to "demand" the Spanish giants stop tapping up their captain. He is said to be furious that in recent weeks stories have been drip-fed to the Spanish press linking Fabregas with a return to Barcelona, many of them featuring quotes from the club's board expressing their wish to bring the player home.
 
Fabregas has four years left on his contract and the Mirror reports that Arsenal are drafting a new and improved £120,000-a-week deal in an attempt to keep him at the Emirates. But in the end it might not be the money that is the decisive factor in Fabregas's decision to stay or go, but the failure of the Gunners to win a trophy.

The Guardian reports that French winger Franck Ribery has used a radio interview to increase the speculation that his days with German club Bayern Munich are numbered. The 26-year-old, who is expected to be one of the stars of this summer's World Cup, has been linked with Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal in recent months, as well as Real Madrid and Barcelona.

"Bayern is still a big club. It's one of the biggest in the world but I find that our team is not as strong as other teams, like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Chelsea," the Frenchman said on RTL radio. "Maybe we will have trouble competing against these teams."

"I want to win trophies and to enjoy myself. I'm not 20 any more. I am closer to the end [of my career] than the beginning," added Ribery who, having begun his career at Marseille, has a long track record of missing out on silverware.

Asked which club he would like to join, Ribéry was coy, though he admitted his friend and compatriot Thierry Henry had told him good things about life at Barcelona. "I get on really well with him and I know he would also like to see me there," Ribery said. "I know a lot of people would like to see me stay [at Bayern]. Whether I stay or go it won't be an easy decision."

In other news the Daily Mail reports that former Blackburn striker Shabani Nonda is set to join Portsmouth. According to the paper, Pompey boss Avram Grant sees Nonda as a last-gasp attempt to stave off looming relegation. The 32-year-old Nonda has had spells with Roma, Monaco and, most recently, Galatasaray, as well as spending a spell in the Premier League at Ewood Park during the 2006-2007 season. Nonda scored seven goals for Blackburn in 24 games, a strike rate that might come in handy at Portsmouth, who have managed just 19 in their 24 league games this season. ·