Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood revealed on Wednesday that Barcelona have assured the club they will not make a bid for Cesc Fabregas this summer.
The Arsenal captain has been regularly linked with a return to Barcelona, where he spent several years as a youth player.
Barca forward Lionel Messi has said he believes Fabregas “has Barcelona in his blood,” but Hill-Wood said that in talks during the clubs’ recent meeting in the Champions League quarterfinal that Barca had vowed not to make a move this summer.
“There was a private conversation that took place in the boardroom and assurances have been made at the highest possible level,” Hill-Wood said. “Arsenal does not expect those to be broken.
“I was not privy to the conversation, but was told about it. They said to us they are not interested (this summer).
“It was a recent conversation, as recent as the time that they played us in the Champions League in fact as we got a bit upset because of all the media speculation.
“Subsequent to the conversation, if they are interested at any time in the future, they would come to us direct.
“However I’m not sure they are going to do that, because they told us they are pretty happy with what they have got and are pretty happy with their current players.” However, this summer’s presidential elections means the Barca hierarchy is set to change completely before the transfer window closes.
Hill-Wood also said a move to the Nou Camp could be a bad move for Fabregas.
“If you want my opinion, I’m not sure he would even get in their team,” he said. “Do they need him? I’m not sure that they do. And they said to us they are not interested.
“That suits us fine. Fabregas is an Arsenal player and we want him to remain an Arsenal player. We hope he stays with us for a very long time.”
