MADRID: Arsenal might be ready to sell Cesc Fabregas to Real Madrid — if they got Argentine star Gonzalo Higuain in return, a Spanish sports newspaper said yesterday.Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger “is only willing to part with his captain if Real includes Gonzalo Higuain in the deal,” said Marca, which did not indicate its sources.
It said Real would prefer to offer Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart to the London club, and would only release Higuain for 35 million euros, 10 million less than they would pay the Gunners for Fabregas, Marca said.
But competition for the 22-year-old Spanish international from bitter rivals Barcelona might force their hand, it said.
In comments on the UEFA website, Higuain said he would like to end his career at Real Madrid, “the team and the city are my second home, and it would be fantastic.”
Fabregas, Arsenal’s top scorer with 12 goals, is under contract with the Gunners until 2014 but his future has been the subject of much speculation this season. — AFP