Fabregas: I could stay a Gunner

Fabregas: I could stay a Gunner

Published Jul. 1, 2010 12:09 p.m. ET

Spain midfielder and Barcelona target Cesc Fabregas has not ruled out staying at Arsenal next season.

The Gunners skipper is currently away on World Cup duty in South Africa with Spain - but his club future remains in doubt.

Fabregas is understood to have told Arsenal chief Arsene Wenger that he would like to move to Barcelona - the club he quit as a teenager to join the Gunners.

Barcelona have made contact with Arsenal and had their first offer rejected, and the North London club are standing firm over their desire to keep Fabregas.

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And Fabregas admitted he could very well still be playing at the Emirates come the start of the new season, saying: "I haven't said that I will definitely leave Arsenal. Everything is possible.

"Now I have my head and my focus on the World Cup.

"I am very proud to be captain of Arsenal and I love the club and have respect for them. It gave me such pride to be made captain."

Fabregas has also admitted he has been frustrated at being left on the bench for the finals, with Xabi Alonso, Sergio Busquets and Xavi filling the central midfield berths for Vicente del Bosque so far.

"I always want to play. I'm not used to sitting on the bench and I want to be playing at this World Cup," he said.

"I'm always competitive at everything - even on the PlayStation. But that's my desire to win and I have that even in training.

"I've never been a player happy to settle for what I have, I always want more. I respect the coach's decision.

"I know to be in midfield is going to be difficult because we have a lot of good players but I will never give up.

"I've won a lot of caps but if I've not played three quarters of the game then it's not so valuable to me.

"I still don't think my best time for Spain has arrived and I still must carry on working to improve."

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