Arsenal Plan Shock Raid on Barcelona for Former Midfielder – Report

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has refused to give up on re-signing Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona and is hopeful that he will convince the midfielder to return next summer.

Fabregas was offered the chance to return to the Premier League this summer when Manchester United submitted an initial offer of £26m before coming back with an improved bid of £30m, both of which were rejected by Barcelona.

United may well once again try to land the Spain international but the Daily Mail reports that it is Arsenal who hope to convince Fabregas to make the move back to the Premier League.

The 26-year-old spent eight years at the north London club and was instrumental in helping the club make the Champions League final in 2006. However, a lack of trophies led to him seeking a move back to his hometown club where he has already won a league title and the Copa del Rey.

Fabregas is now in his third season with Barcelona and despite suggesting that he wants to remain at the club for a number of years to come, it seems Arsenal will attempt to lure him back to the Emirates.

Wenger has a good track record of attracting players back to the club with Thierry Henry and Sol Campbell enjoying successful returns, while Mathieu Flamini has hugely impressed since moving back to Arsenal in the summer.

The Gunners have been exceptional this season and currently sit top of the Premier League table, while they are also on the verge of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Wenger may well hope that a successful season that ultimately ends in a major trophy may prove enough to convince Fabregas that he can win honours in north London.

While it would be difficult to convince Barcelona to part with the hugely talented midfielder the chance for him to play alongside Mesut Ozil may well be enticing as he has previously stated how impressed he was that Arsenal landed the German.

"Ozil is the man who makes the difference in the final third," Fabregas told the Mail. "He will find so much space in the Premier League and he's a player who with space kills you. His final pass is brilliant. And he will score more goals in England than he did in Spain. He is a spectacular signing."