MARKET MOVERS
Transfer activity expected to be triggered as the deals to take Fabregas to Barcelona and Inter’s Sneijder to Old Trafford edge closer to completion
SUMMER spending is set for a shot in the arm as two of the close season’s lengthiest sagas edge closer to completion.
Barcelona are expected to increase their offer for Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas to £36.8m, plus a potential £4.3m in add-ons.
Manchester United, meanwhile, are closing in on the signing of Wesley Sneijder, after months of pursuing the Inter Milan playmaker.
Fabregas is yet to feature in any of Arsenal’s pre-season matches this summer, with the club insisting he is yet to recover from the hamstring strain that ruled him out last season’s run-in.
The north London club are staging an open training session for their members at Emirates Stadium tomorrow and privately expect Fabregas (right) to attend the event.
Should Arsenal accept Barcelona’s improved offer it would almost certainly be the final time Fabregas dons a red and white shirt, and just as significantly kick-start Arsene Wenger’s summer recruitment drive.
The loss of their skipper would be tempered by the injection significant funds, which have already been earmarked for the signings of Valencia forward Juan Mata and Everton defender Phil Jagielka.
United also look set to take their summer spending to over £80m with the addition of Sneijder.
The Dutch international’s wage demands have proved the biggest stumbling block with regards to his potential move to Old Trafford so far.
But the player’s agent is expected to fly to England this week in order to force through a £30m deal which would provide United with their primary target, and leave Inter with the funds to make at least one raid on the Premier League.
Inter may view Arsenal contract rebel Samir Nasri as the ideal replacement for Sneijder, while the prospect of snaring Manchester City star Carlos Tevez would be enhanced.
TRANSFER TRACKER
The high-profile moves of Cesc Fabregas and Wesley Sneijder could trigger some equally big deals before the transfer window shuts.
Juan Mata: With the money secured from Fabregas’ move, Arsenal would be able to significantly up their offer to Valencia and still have something left over to spend on Everton’s Phil Jagielka.
Samir Nasri: With Inter now likely to be in the market for a creative midfielder the Frenchman, a target of both Manchester clubs, could be now heading for Serie A instead.
Carlos Tevez: The unsettled striker saw his move to Corinthians collapse, but with Inter likely to be flush, the prospect of a touted swap deal involving the Argentine and Samuel Eto’o becomes a distinct possibility.