United make £25m Fabregas bid

Manchester United have bid £25m for
Barcelona's ex-Arsenal midfielder Cesc
Fabregas but the Gunners have first refusal
on him at the same price, BBCSport reports.

United's offer is being considered but is
understood to be below the Spanish club's
valuation of the player.
While Fabregas is not pushing for a move, it
is believed he is open to a return to England.

The 26-year-old will be guided by whether
Barcelona are prepared to accept an offer for
him.

Fabregas came through the Spanish club's
La Masia academy before Arsenal signed him
as a 16-year-old in 2003.

He developed as one of the London club's
key players under manager Arsene Wenger
before becoming Arsenal captain in November
2008.

The Spain international spent eight years with
the Gunners, playing 303 games and scoring
57 goals.

However, he returned to the Nou Camp when
he signed a five-year deal with Barcelona in a
£25.4m move in August 2011.
He has since helped the Catalan club win the
Copa del Rey in 2011-12 and La Liga in
2012-13.

Fabregas has played 96 times in two
seasons with Barcelona, including 60 league
games, but has rarely featured in his preferred
midfield role, with Xavi, 33, and Andres
Iniesta, 29, ahead of him.
Fabregas has made 83 appearances for
Spain, winning the 2010 World Cup and the
European Championship twice.