Date of Birth: 04 05 1987
Place of Birth: Arenys de Mar, Spain
Position: Midfielder
Nationality: Spain
Cesc Fabregas Rumours and Transfers
27 10 2007
Xabi Alonso will not allow his friendship with fellow Spaniard Cesc Fabregas to get in the way of trying to beat runaway Arsenal on Sunday.
Liverpool midfielder Alonso is hoping to make his comeback from a broken metatarsal in the clash which could define his club's Premier League season.
The seemingly fit-again 25-year-old surprisingly remained on the bench as his side stumbled to a shock Champions League defeat at the hands of Besiktas on Wednesday night.
The assumption was that boss Rafael Benitez was saving him for the showdown with Arsenal and Alonso's good friend and Spain colleague Fabregas.
Alonso told the Reds' official website: "He is one of their most important players and one of the most influential in the Premier League, no doubt about it. He has had a very good start to the season but hopefully this will not be repeated at Anfield. I will have a chat with him before the game, but he is one of the best around at the moment so I will not let friendship deflect me from trying to beat him."
Alonso has been impressed with the start Arsene Wenger's young Premier League leaders have made to the campaign as he looks to deny them a 13th straight victory in all competitions.
He said: "They are doing very well and are playing excellent football, probably the best football in the Premier League at the moment. They have a lot of mobility and plenty of players who are comfortable with the ball. They understand each other very well and that creates good football, and they are really nice to watch."
17 10 2007
Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas has insisted Barcelona star Ronaldinho would prove a big hit in The Premier League.
The Brazilian's star has dimmed in the last year, but he is still widely regarded as one of the best players on the planet.
Barca have always maintained they have no intention of selling Ronaldinho, but he has been linked with the likes of Chelsea and Milan of late.
Fabregas, who has proved a big hit in England following his move from Barcelona as a teenager, is of the opinion that great players can adapt to new conditions and has backed Ronaldinho to flourish – should he leave Camp Nou.
'It is different football and you never know what can happen, but he is a talented footballer and can adapt anywhere,' Fabregas told El Mundo Deportivo.
'Ronaldinho has the qualities to play anywhere he wants to. You have to respect what he has done in the last five years. He made the club shine in an incredible way, he has been an incredible signing who has pleased fans all over the world and has won almost everything.'
16 10 2007
Barcelona's sporting director Txiki Begiristain admitted the Spanish club are interested in signing Cesc Fabregas, but stated the Catalan giants wont break the bank to lure the Arsenal star to the Nou Camp.
20-year old Spaniard, who left Barcelona for Arsenal at the age of 16, was one of Arsenal's most influential players over last few seasons.
Even though Cesc extended his contract with the Gunners for eight years, the midfielder dropped a hint that he might be interested in returning to Spain one day.
Real Madrid were trying to sign him during the summer, but saw their efforts hit the wall, while recent speculations claim that Barcelona are interesting in reuniting with the "lost child": "He is a great player but the circumstances of his exit make things very difficult. We cannot pay a great amount for a homegrown player that decided to leave us. To start with he would have to show his desire to return," said Begiristain.
Arsene Wenger's club only paid Barcelona £700,000 of compensation for the young midfielder , as he left Barcelona at 16 years of age, before players are allowed to become professionals in Spain.
11 10 2007
Arsenal are prepared to pay Barcelona compensation on behalf of their young Spanish prospect Fran Merida.
Premier League leaders are ready to pay £2.3million in compensation to Barcelona for 17-year-old wonderkid Fran Merida.
An independent tribunal in Spain ruled against Merida and in favour of former club Barca, which means the teenager must foot the bill.
But Arsenal will pay the compensation on Merida's half as manager Arsene Wenger believes they may have another Cesc Fabregas on their hands.
Barcelona's case was that Merida had signed a pre-contract agreement with them when he was 14, but quit the Catalan club days before his 16th birthday.
He then joined Arsenal as a trainee as soon as he was 16.
There is no dispute between Arsenal and Barcelona over the issue but the Gunners will pick up Merida's bill.
Merida is described by Arsenal as a creative, highly technical central or left-sided midfielder who made a big impact following his arrival at Arsenal in summer 2006, scoring on his Gunners debut in a friendly against Boreham Wood, and repeating the feat against Tottenham on his debut for Arsenal reserves.
He was a key member of the Spain squad that triumphed in the Uefa Under-17 Championship in May, creating the only goal in the Final against England.
Merida made his Arsenal first-team debut last month as a substitute in the 2-0 Carling Cup triumph over Newcastle United.
06 10 2007
Roy Keane last night criticised Stuart Pearce's decision not to call up Grant Leadbitter for England Under-21s' forthcoming European Championships qualifiers against Montenegro and Republic of Ireland.
While Wolves winger Michael Kightly and Southampton midfielder Andrew Surman were included in Pearce's travelling party despite a complete lack of Premier League experience, Leadbitter was overlooked for the second time in a month.
The 20-year-old is in the form of his life, having scored two goals in his last two Premier League games, and Keane cannot understand why he is consistently ignored when it comes to international honours.
"Grant didn't make the England Under-21 squad even though he's playing regularly in the Premier League," said the Sunderland boss.
"Some players have been selected even though they aren't even playing in the Championship. I'm surprised, but let's not go there."
Leadbitter has started the Black Cats' last four matches after successfully recovering from a hamstring injury sustained in pre-season, and the youngster is a certain starter tomorrow as Sunderland look to wreck Arsenal's 100 per cent record at the Emirates Stadium.
Expected to struggle following the summer departure of Thierry Henry, Arsene Wenger's side have instead won six of their opening seven league games to move two points clear at the top of the table.
And while Keane does not expect his former employers, Manchester United, to surrender their Premier League crown without a fight, he is equally convinced that Arsenal will mount a credible title challenge this season.
"If you were a punter and you wanted to watch a team, I would suggest that Arsenal and United are the teams you would go and watch," said the Irishman.
"Arsenal were criticised a little bit last season, but you would still pay to watch them. They're scoring more goals this year and taking a lot more chances, and sometimes you have to give these teams a chance to develop. The younger players' decision making has improved. They're certainly taking their chances and they've matured quickly over the last few years. At the moment, they definitely look like they'll be in with a shout of the title."
Cesc Fabregas has been at the heart of Arsenal's resurgence, with Keane hailing the Spaniard as one of the foremost midfielders in English football.
"He's got a chance, hasn't he," he joked. "He's probably a different type of player to me - not as cultured! He's a good player and he's still maturing. He seems to have settled down this season and he's added goals to his locker. I think any top midfielder has to have goals in him. He's already scored more than he did last season, but that comes from the whole team maturing together."
Sunderland's team has not been maturing as quickly as Keane would like, although there were obvious signs of promise when they held out for more than 70 minutes at Old Trafford last month.
Tomorrow's game is likely to see a repeat of the 4-5-1 formation Keane adopted against Manchester United, but the Black Cats boss has demanded his players ask more questions of Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia than they posed to Edwin van der Sar.
"Hopefully, we can learn a little bit from the United game," he said.
"We did OK for long periods of that game, even though we ended up with no points. We showed we are confident enough in that kind of environment, although I'd like to see us get forward a bit more (tomorrrow) and create two or three chances. We might be something like 20-1 but, in a two-horse race, you have to believe. Arsenal might get stuck on the tube! Seriously, though, we all have dreams of where we want to get to. How you get there is another thing entirely, but you have to believe you can get there."
05 10 2007
Luis Aragones has again omitted Raul from his Spain squad as the Real Madrid captain was left out for the crucial Euro 2008 qualifier against Denmark next week.
Despite his impressive form for Los Merengues, Raul has failed to win his place back with la Seleccion and the national team coach remains loyal to his favoured forwards.
Spain take on Denmark in the crunch Group F encounter on October 13, where a victory for the visitors to Aarhus would push them to the cusp of qualification for the European Championships in Austria and Switzerland next summer.
Carles Puyol is back in the squad, having missed last month's matches through injury, while Valencia's Raul Albiol and Espanyol's Albert Riera are the surprise inclusions.
"Our qualification for EURO 2008 is at stake," Aragones said. "I know Riera from my time at Mallorca and he's technically a great player."
After playing Denmark at the weekend, Spain then travel to Helsinki to take on Finland, who are well placed in Group A, in a friendly.
Defenders: Pablo Ibanez (Atletico de Madrid), Mariano Pernia (Atletico de Madrid), Carles Puyol (FC Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Carlos Marchena (Valencia), Joan Capdevila (Villarreal), Raul Albiol (Valencia).
Midfielders: Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), Andres Iniesta (FC Barcelona), David Silva (Valencia), Xavi Hernandez (FC Barcelona), David Albelda (Valencia), Miguel Angel Angulo (Valencia), Joaquin (Valencia), Albert Riera (Espanyol).
Forwards: David Villa (Valencia), Fernando Torres (Liverpool), Luis Garcia (Espanyol).
04 10 2007
Arsenal captain Gilberto Silva admits he has found it difficult to watch Arsene Wenger's side storm to the top of the Barclays Premier League while he kicks his heels on the bench.
Gilberto has endured a frustrating start to the new campaign and with Cesc Fabregas and Mathieu Flamini in fine form in the centre of midfield, the Brazilian has been forced to wait for his chance to return to the side.
The midfielder, one of the Arsenal's stalwarts last term, has started only four of the team's 11 unbeaten games in the current campaign and just two in his established position in the centre.
The Brazilian, 31 on Sunday, missed much of pre-season because of his involvement in the Copa America but is determined to fight his way back into the side and insists he respects Wenger's decisions.
Gilberto said: "It has been so frustrating. I am on the bench not because of quality or something like that, but because I came back late. It is so hard. The only thing I need to do is do my job, respect the manager's decision, respect the other players and the way they play at the moment. When I have the opportunity I want to do the best I can for the team like I have done but it's a slight difference compared to other years. It is the first time I haven't been in the team. I confess to you it has been so hard for me. I want to come back and play again in my position in central midfield. You need to respect that Flamini and Cesc are playing very well. It is visible to everybody and I need to respect the manager's decision. I will do my best to return to the team. I will see in the next few games what will happen. I'm the kind of player who accepts the bench. I respect everyone but in my mind it doesn't work well. The only thing I can do is work. It is down to me to me to manage the situation. It is very difficult but it is important I keep calm and keep my mind very strong. I did all the things to get back in form and into the team. I'm feeling good."
01 10 2007
Arsenal young gun Justin Hoyte has declared the London club are equipped to win the Premier League title.
The England Under-21 international believes Arsenal's young squad can make an impact on the domestic scene this season after having learnt from their past errors and gained experience thanks to Arsene Wenger's trust.
The versatile full back, who can play on both flanks, is convinced The Gunners are capable of continuing their impressive run until the end of the season.
The Gunners impressed again on Saturday, as they managed to earn three points at Upton Park thanks to a 1-0 win against a competitive West Ham side.
Arsenal are leaders of the league and will face Steaua Bucharest in the Champions League on Tuesday in Romania.
'I can't see why we can't go on and win the league this season,' Hoyte told a national paper.
"It depends on how focused we remain but we're playing well as a team and have a great spirit. We know our strengths and weaknesses but the scary thing is we know we are going to get better and keep on improving. This is just the tip of the iceberg. We did well last season but each year we grow a bit more experienced and develop more as individuals and as a team. We are young but everyone has plenty of Premier League and Champions League games under their belts now, which is important. And that's an awesome prospect as a player.'
Hoyte says the young guns are having a lot of fun together and have big expectations this term, but do not want to waste the points they have earned so far.
'There's a lot of excitement around the club this season. We are really enjoying ourselves,' he added.
'The type of football we've been playing has been fantastic so I think we deserve to be where we are. But we need to keep our feet on the ground. The thing is, we're desperate to not throw any points away. You can see from this season already that we are being a lot more ruthless. We are still dominating games as before but obviously the work on the training pitch about not throwing games away is finally paying off.'
The 22-year-old has hailed team-mate Cesc Fabregas, who appears to be one of the best players in Europe.
'Cesc [Fabregas] has really stepped up,' he said. 'To be fair, he was pretty amazing last season but - apart from his passing and vision - he has now added goals this term.'
