Rosell won't raise Cesc offer

Barcelona president Sandro Rosell insists the club will not improve on last summer's €40 million bid for Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas.

GettyImagesBarcelona are not prepared to improve on last summer's bid for Cesc Fabregas

• Messi: Fabregas wants Barca move
• Xavi: Cesc destined for Barca

Barca made two bids for Fabregas last summer and, although the player indicated that he wished to return to the Camp Nou, Arsenal refused to negotiate.

It has been suggested that Arsenal would consider allowing the player to leave at the end of this season, but Rosell has revealed Barca would only be willing to sign the player at the right price.

"We can talk about it, but Barca will not pay €50million for Cesc," he told Sport. "That is decided and, although Guardiola wants this player, we will not pay this amount.

"It is impossible due to a simple reason. In football, prices are reduced each year and, if we offered Arsenal €40 million for Cesc last summer, €50 million is now impossible.

"If the coach demands Cesc, we will negotiate, but at a correct limit and without madness and, if the deal isn't possible, we will wait for other opportunities."

Rosell, asked whether the deal would ever go through if it were not completed this summer, said Barca "may be better off financially" if they left it another year but said they will hold talks this summer if the coach insists.

Asked if the key would be for the player to push for his departure, Rosell said: "First, the coaches should tell us that his signing is a priority. After that, we look at the economic issue.

"If a player came to me and told me he wanted to leave, I would start looking to find the best financial solution. We don't want anyone to be unhappy."

Rosell described Arsenal as "a little immoral" after they moved to sign Spanish starlet Jon Toral from the Barca academy and he said it has not had a positive impact on the relationship between the clubs.

"The Jon Toral situation doesn't help," he said. "Our relationship is ... as it always is."

Barca have been attempting to get back on a strong financial footing after the Joan Laporta era, and Rosell confirmed there are still monetary difficulties at the club.

"Things are the same," he said. "The patient is still ill, so to speak, but we have identified the problem and we know what medicine we need. Things will get better within three or four years."

"[The financial problems will not affect sporting matters] because within the business plan we allow for the needs of the team."

By ESPNsoccernet staff