Soccer Extreme : Barcelona are planning an audacious £85million swoop next summer for Cesc Fabregas and Fernando Torres.The Catalan club are now boosted by the massive cash injection from the huge sponsorship deal with Qatar Foundation which will be worth £125million over five years.
And this will enable the club to make sizeable offers for both Fabregas and Torres.
The Arsenal captain Fabregas is a native Catalan and was close to moving back to his spiritual home in the summer when Barcelona made their interest known.
He was persuaded to stay after long talks with manager Arsene Wenger – but he is unlikely to resist should Barcelona return in July.
Torres has had a strange season with Liverpool.
At times he has looked back to his best – as when he scored twice when Chelsea were beaten at Anfield this season.
But on other occasions, he has looked disinterested and appears disillusioned at Liverpool’s lack of progress while new manager Roy Hodgson carries out his re-building programme.
Torres is also wanted by Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid – but Torres would not go to the Bernabeu.
He grew up as an Atletico Madrid fan and played for the club. He would find it impossible to return to Spain and play for Atletico’s rivals.
Barca boss Pep Guardiola has assembled a squad of fearsome quality and are already hot favourites to lift the Champions’ League at Wembley next May.
But he has plans to maintain the domination in Spain and in Europe and already has a hit list of players to bolster the squad for next season – with Fabregas and Torres top of the list.
And with the finance from Qatar, money will be no object. (mirrorfootball)