Barca 'won't be bullied'

Sandro Rosell, who replaced Joan Laporta last month, has said that Barcelona are keen to land the Spain midfielder, but concedes the prospective asking price of £50m could be the major stumbling block to any transfer.

Barcelona have been forced to seek a 150 million euro (£132.6million) bank loan and sell defender Dmytro Chygrynski to ease cash worries with club debt rising to 326 million euros over the past year.

"The signing of Cesc has become difficult, because the expectation levels have been driven up the seller, and this isn't good news for Barca," said Rosell.

"Everyone knows he wants to come, and that Barca want him. You can imagine what Arsenal want to get out of it.

"We will never pay 50 or 60 million (euros) for Cesc," the Barca president told radio station RAC1, referring to rumours of the Gunners demanding £40-£50m for their skipper.

Barcelona have already had a bid of £29m turned down by Arsenal for a player that came through the youth ranks at the Nou Camp before moving to north London aged 16.

It is thought the Catalans are now willing to pay £33m to buy back the midfielder, but Arsenal are in no hurry to sell.

In Barca's favour, however, is the player's apparent desire to leave north London and return to the Nou Camp.

"The whole world knows he wants to come and that we want to sign him," Rosell said.

But the Barca president regrets the clubs pursuit of Fabregas has become public.

"It's a topic that has become so public and that's the worst thing you can do with a transfer, because it makes the selling club raise their expectations and you end up paying over the odds," he added.