Barca: Arsenal Fabregas Demands To High

Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has claimed the club will not pay over the odds for Cesc Fabregas; the Nou Camp giants had hoped to bring the Spaniard back to Barcelona but will not pay an extortionate fee for the midfielder.

Fabregas has again been linked with a return to his boyhood club this summer after Arsenal refused to sell the midfielder to Barca 12 months ago, Arsenal Chairman Peter Hill-Wood revealed over the weekend that the Catalan giants had been in contact regarding Cesc.

"He (Cesc) is doing everything he can to come (here)," Rosell told Catalan station TV3 on Monday night.
"Guardiola knows the values of players and Cesc's is less than €40million. Barcelona will offer less and if they (Arsenal) don't accept, then he won't come. Pep knows the club is not well-off in terms of money."

Elsewhere Barca were expected to be closing in of the signing of highly rated forward Alexis Sanchez, but Rosell said; "There is nothing closed with Alexis.”

It was also revealed that Eric Abidal has rejected a new deal at Barcelona and is expected to leave the Champions League winners, Rosell also claimed that his relationship with Real Madrid president Florentino Perez were "on standby" after their failure to act against doping allegations aimed at Barca last season by radio station Cadena COPE.

"I haven't spoken to Florentino Perez since the last game (against Madrid)," he said.

"My relationship with him is on standby because there are wounds that are still not closed and that need to scar."

Pep Commits To Barcelona

Pep Guardiola has insisted that he intends to honour his contract at Barcelona, after watching his side take Manchester United apart in yesterday's 3-1 victory in the Champions League final.

The Spaniard feels that his side are untouchable after watching his young side show the world how the game should be played.

It was suggested that Pep could leave the Catalans this summer after Johan Cryuff hinted that Guardiola had been worn down by the psychological strain of managing the Catalan giants, but last night Guardiola said;

"I have one year of the contract, yes."

The Barcelona boss believed his side had put in one of their best performances to lift the trophy for the second time in three years.

"It is one of the best performances because sometimes you make for performances in important games but not important games like this one," he said.

Guardiola also added; "So we are so happy to win, of course, but we are so, so happy to show to the world our way to play, to keep the ball, to try to attack in front of absolutely one of the best teams of the world," he said.

Could Ancelotti be next to leave Chelsea

Carlo Ancelotti's future looks glum

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has laughed off reports that Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola could be in line to replace the Italian at Stamford Bridge; Speculation had been mounting since the weekend that current Blues owner Roman Abramovich wanted the Spaniard to succeed Ancelotti at Stamford Bridge following a low point of Chelsea’s season

Ray Wilkins was axed as Ancelotti's assistant earlier this month and, on Saturday, the club confirmed Frank Arnesen would be leaving his position as sporting director at the end of the season.

Speaking after Sunday's 1-1 dismal draw at Newcastle United, Ancelotti refused to drawn in answering questions over his future.

"I have heard of Pep Guardiola, to be frank," said Ancelotti, whose Premier League champions lost top spot to Manchester United at the weekend.

"But you don't have to ask me - the coach is always the last to know. Don't ask me.

"We are not interested. We focus on our training and our matches."

Ancelotti also laughed off the claims that Chelsea are aiming to appoint Beguiristain as Arnesen's successor in West London.

The Italian joked: "I don't know this name. I think there was a player at Barcelona, but I don't know what job he is doing now."