Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed Cesc Fabregas will miss this weekend’s Emirates Cup because he has been “unsettled” by continued speculation about a potential move to Barcelona.
Fabregas has been keen to join Barca for over a year but the European champions have so far failed to meet Arsenal’s £40 million ($65.8 million) valuation of the Spanish midfielder.
It is thought Arsenal rejected Barca’s latest offer of around £30 million earlier in the close-season and there has been no progress in talks between the clubs.
Wenger is desperate to keep his captain but he admits the saga has taken a toll on Fabregas, who has not featured in any of Arsenal’s pre-season games as he makes a slow comeback from a recurring hamstring injury.
Speaking at Friday’s press conference ahead of the Emirates Cup — a friendly tournament featuring Arsenal, Boca Juniors, Paris Saint-Germain and the New York Red Bulls – Wenger said: “He is not settled, with his injury and his situation. That has to be sorted out soon.”
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