In-form Fabregas rules out return to Spain

In-form Fabregas rules out return to Spain






Cesc Fabregas maintains he has everything he wants at Arsenal and is not considering a move back to Spain.

The 20-year-old midfielder has been in superb form this season, scoring 11 goals to help the Gunners storm to the top of the Barclays Premier League and into the last 16 of the Champions League.

Fabregas came through the youth ranks at Barcelona before heading to Arsenal in September 2003.

Since then, the combative Spaniard has gone on to become an integral part of Arsene Wenger's side and is now rated as one of the best in his position.

However, Fabregas continues to be linked with a big-money move back to his homeland.

The midfielder is currently away on international duty ahead of the Euro 2008 qualifiers with Sweden and Northern Ireland, but declared his intention to rebuff any interest which may come his way from the likes of Barcelona or Real Madrid.

'I am not even thinking about returning to Spain,' Fabregas said.

'I do not even listen to the offers that come in for me because I do not need anything that I haven't already got at Arsenal.

'And it's nothing to do with money - if it was I would have gone to Real Madrid last summer.

'I am not moved by money, I am moved by football.'

Fabregas added: 'I am playing and I am happy. Being a Gunner is very special, something that I am proud of.

'This is a small club on the inside, like a family, but it's huge on the outside.'

Fabregas will miss Arsenal's next match after collecting his fifth caution during the win at Reading on Monday night.

The midfielder believes a new 'relaxed' approach to the game has helped him focus this season.

'I think I'm playing the same as ever but the ball is going in for me, which makes it look like I am playing better,' Fabregas explained.

'I was getting in front of goal and being hasty - but one day Mr Wenger told me to relax and now I take my time.'

Fabregas is one of several youngsters to have emerged from the shadow of talisman Thierry Henry this season, the former Gunners captain having left for the Nou Camp during the summer.

The midfielder accepts the brilliant Frenchman was a tough act to follow.

'Thierry Henry is the best player in Arsenal's history and that's why people panicked when he left. It was like having to mature all of a sudden, a wake-up call,' Fabregas said.

'He was like an umbrella that we hid beneath and when he went, we were forced to step forward and take responsibility.'

Adebayor: I turned down move to Man United

Adebayor: I turned down move to Man United

Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor claims he rejected the advances of Manchester United in the summer.

The Togo international signed a new deal with the Gunners but ahead of the meeting between the two sides tomorrow, claims he held talks with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger before deciding to stay in north London.

'When I got that approach from United, I was like `OK, it's a good team, one of the biggest teams in the world - why not?'

'It was very flattering for me and gave me confidence that I am a good footballer because, if a team like Manchester want to get me, it proves I'm doing things right.

'But don't forget I am already at a massive club and we have a fantastic team.

'I had a good discussion with the boss Arsene Wenger, we finally sorted everything out and I was very happy.'


Wenger confident ahead of United showdown

LONDON, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said on Friday he was not surprised by their outstanding start to the season and believes his Premier League leaders have what it takes to beat champions Manchester United on Saturday.

Arsenal go into the game at the Emirates Stadium with the narrowest of leads over United after rattling up 26 points from their opening 10 matches.

United have 26 points from 11 matches, both have goal differences of plus 15, but Arsenal are top having scored 22 goals to United's 19.

'I am not surprised because I said to the players at the beginning of the season, I wanted to be up there, and wanted to be fighting for the title because I felt we had the belief and the quality,' Wenger said.

Arsenal are unbeaten in all their 17 league and cup matches so far, while United, after a relatively slow start, have won their last eight league matches - and scored 16 goals in their last four league and cup games.

Wenger's team did the double over United last season, but still finished fourth, 21 points behind Alex Ferguson's men.

'I think we have improved since last season,' Wenger told a news conference at the club's training ground at London Colney.

'In the last two years we dropped our level and we were too far behind the top teams. This season we are back fighting for the championship.

'We have different characteristics to Manchester United, but I believe the collective pressure we put on them will be good enough, despite the fact they have very strong players.'

He also expects Saturday's game to be more of a technical affair rather than some of the blood-and-guts encounters of previous years.

'The game has a lot of special importance, a lot of tradition and over the last 10 years there have been some very good, competitive games.

'The characteristics of the two teams might have been more physical in the past, now today they are more technical, which will come out in the game tomorrow.'

The Frenchman said he knew nothing about a claim by his Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor that he was approached by Manchester United last season, nor about stories linking his former skipper Gilberto Silva with a move to Italy.

'I don't know anything about that at all,' he said. 'The players are under contract and if anyone wants to speak to them they have to speak to me first - and no-one has.'

He also said it was far too early to compare his current team with the 'Invincibles' who went unbeaten in the league in the 2003-04 season.

'We are consistent, we are a very young side, and it's difficult to be consistent with a young side. There is room to improve, there is more to come from this team.

'Tomorrow we play at home, everyone will be looking at us, and we have to relax and enjoy it and not think too much about being invincible.'