Barcelona's defender Cesc Fabregas finally held a press conference where he publicly stated that he does not intend to leave the Catalan club this summer.
For almost the entire summer, the English media spread rumors that the footballer could move to Manchester United. Tabloids and even reputable publications did not hesitate to rely on "unnamed close player friends in England," "information from high-ranking Barcelona officials," and so on.
Additional rumors surfaced when it was announced that the Barcelona team allegedly lacks cash. C. Fabregas once again mentioned that he is forced to step down from the position of head coach of the Catalonia club, Tito Vilanova, who is battling cancer. It was claimed that chaos arose in the Spanish champions' team, which could supposedly speed up C. Fabregas's negotiations with the Manchester team.
During a press conference held on Thursday in Kuala Lumpur, C. Fabregas officially confirmed that he has no intention of leaving the Barcelona club.
"All those rumors are fabricated. I have never thought about leaving. My childhood dream was to play for Barca, and I have done everything within my power to be able to compete here again. My dream remains unchanged. My dream is Barcelona. I understand that there is competition within the team for a place on the field, but I am not afraid of that," stated the Catalan.
According to the defender, he feels honored that Manchester United has twice made offers to Barcelona for his acquisition, but, according to C. Fabregas, he has not negotiated with any team.
"I greatly appreciate the efforts of the Barcelona leaders. They have always supported me and constantly said that I am needed, that I am trusted. I have never doubted their words, so I am not planning to leave. I have not spoken to any other team since I moved to Barca," emphasized the footballer.
C. Fabregas has a contract with the Catalonia club valid until June 30, 2016. It includes a release clause of 200 million euros.