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Gael force: Barcelona could make a bid for Clichy in the summer Barcelona are plotting a raid on Arsenal this summer but their top target is Gael Clichy rather than Cesc Fabregas.
Clichy impressed Nou Camp boss Pep Guardiola with two excellent performances against Barca in the Champions League quarter-final.
Guardiola has identified the need for a left back as a greater priority than a central midfielder like Fabregas, although the issue is clouded by the club's presidential elections in the summer.
Meetings were held between representatives of the two clubs when they clashed in the Champions League and Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood claimed the Catalans had made assurances that they would not make a bid for Fabregas this summer.
Barcelona distanced themselves from Hill-Wood's comments yesterday, when technical secretary Txiki Begiristain revealed: 'We never said we will not try to sign Cesc Fabregas. We will see what happens.'
Instead, Barca insisted they had only given Arsenal assurances that if they do decide they want to buy their captain they will come directly to the club and not try to unsettle him via agents.
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No deal: Hill-Wood says Barca won't pursue Fabregas this summer It seems inevitable that, at some point, Barcelona will target Fabregas and the lure of the Nou Camp will prove too strong for a player who grew up supporting the club with Guardiola as his idol.
But, as Hill-Wood also clumsily confessed, it is difficult to see how the Arsenal skipper would get into a midfield nicely balanced with Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets at the moment.
Fabregas, 22, appears to have been earmarked as the natural successor to Xavi but the performances of the 30-year-old in recent months suggest he has plenty of years ahead at the top level before he thinks of stepping aside.
Barcelona's leading presidential candidate Sandro Rosell has promised to bring Fabregas back to the city of his birth, but precisely when that will be remains to be seen.
Guardiola would prefer to focus the summer recruitment campaign on a high-calibre replacement for Thierry Henry, who looks set to leave, probably for the USA, and bolster his squad in other areas, including left back.
The Barca boss sees Clichy as a left-sided version of Dani Alves, a full back capable of attacking fluently but with the engine to carry out his defensive duties.
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For Clichy, 24, it could provide the boost which propels him into the France team, where he has struggled to get past Manchester United's Patrice Evra and Barca's Eric Abidal.He has two years left on his Arsenal contract but Clichy has not been at his most consistent this season. His place may even have come under pressure from Kieran Gibbs had the England Under 21 defender not broken his foot in November.
Gibbs is close to a return but manager Arsene Wenger confirmed Thomas Vermaelen, who injured a calf muscle at Tottenham on Wednesday, is expected to miss the rest of the season.
'It looks like three weeks and that means the season is over for him,' said Wenger, who also revealed Denilson is doubtful for Sunday's game at Wigan.
Robin van Persie, who looked in superb form when he came on at White Hart Lane on Wednesday after five months out injured, reported no problems on his return. 'He came back very well,' said Wenger. 'It was a massive gamble as he had not played but we'll see how he is and hopefully he will get a few games now.'
source: dailymail
