Cesc Fabregas is only 'on loan' Xavi warns Arsenal

Last weekend, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger spoke in confident terms about Fabregas staying at the club and even refused to countenance overtures for him in future seasons.

But Barcelona midfielder Xavi last night said the tug-of-war for Fabregas was not over and, at best, on hold.

Xavi exclusively told the Daily Express: “We know where Cesc wants to be this coming season, but perhaps there is not enough time for Barcelona and Arsenal to agree a deal.

“Arsenal need to understand they are only delaying the inevitable. If we don’t manage to get his signature this season then Arsenal only really have him on loan for a year – because there is nothing they can do to stop him joining next summer.”

Xavi and the rest of Spain’s Barcelona-dominated World Cup winners got the inside view of Fabregas’s situation during the tournament. Xavi is convinced Fabregas will link up with his boyhood club sooner or later.

“His [Fabregas’s] people will have a whole season to sort out the deal between the two clubs and it will happen at the very latest next summer,” he said.

“I haven’t given up on him joining us this season but, if he doesn’t, it won’t be more than a year before he is back home.

“We were all with him for five weeks in South Africa and we know he wants to be at Barcelona, he made it very clear.

“But he will under no circumstances do anything that will upset the Arsenal fans. And that’s probably why we are going to have to wait for him for another year.”

Confident Wenger said “the story had to stop” and detailed why he would not move the debate on to Fabregas leaving in the future.

“We are not in any talks for next year or the year after,” said Wenger. “We want our players to be focused on the targets we have as a club.”

Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer is desperate to seal a move from Fulham to Arsenal after being told there would be a coaching role for him at the Emirates after his playing career ends.

The Gunners had a £2million bid for Schwarzer turned down earlier this summer, but 37-year-old Schwarzer is still hoping a deal can be struck.

Striker Eduardo yesterday flew out to Ukraine to complete his £6m move to Shakhtar Donetsk.