Cesc Fabregas: I'm staying! Arsenal captain finally speaks up

IndiaVision News - Cesc Fabregas has broken his silence to begrudgingly commit his future to Arsenal.

The Spain midfielder admitted that he dreamed of re-joining Barcelona but conceded he was powerless to make the Gunners accept a bid.

Arsenal rejected a £29million offer from Barca in early June and Fabregas has given up hope of going home after revealing that a second formal offer had also been knocked back.

He said: 'Firstly I would like to apologise to all the Arsenal fans for not speaking sooner about my future but I have not known what I was going to do until this moment.

'I cannot deny that joining a club like Barcelona was not an attractive move for me.

'This was the club where I learned my football, it is my home town where my friends and family are and a club where I have always dreamed of playing.

'There are not many players in the world who would not want to play for Barcelona.'

The 23-year-old told his manager Arsene Wenger before the World Cup that he wanted to go to Barcelona, but the Frenchman remained steadfast in his intention not to part with a player who was still under contract for five more years.

Fabregas said: 'I have had many conversations with Arsene Wenger both in person and over the phone over the last few months and although the content of those conversations will remain private, the conclusion is that Barcelona have had two formal offers rejected by Arsenal.

'I am a professional and I fully understand that it is Arsenal's prerogative not to sell me. I owe a lot to the club, manager and the fans and I will respect their decision and will now concentrate on the new season ahead with Arsenal.

'I can assure all the fans that now the negotiations have ended I will be 100 per cent focused on playing for Arsenal.

'I am an Arsenal player and as soon as I step out on to the pitch, that is the only club I will be thinking about.

'I am looking forward to the start of the season and putting this speculation behind me.'