Calderon: Cesc must ask to leave
by Tom Adams, 05 May 2008
Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has pledged that the Spanish giants will not pursue Cesc Fabregas unless the player himself asks to leave Arsenal.
On Monday evening, Fabregas’ midfield partner Mathieu Flamini agreed to move to Milan at the end of his contract in July and rumours continue to swirl around the PFA Young Player of the Year as well following another excellent season for The Gunners.
Talk of a return to Spain, where he first rose to prominence as a Barcelona trainee, grows with the approach of every transfer window and this season has been no different, with Real reportedly interested in a player who will be looking to make a big impact for his country at the Euro 2008 finals.
Calderon has admitted that Fabregas is a popular figure in the corridors of power at the Bernabeu, but the president – who celebrated a second league title in succession on Sunday – will not look to test Arsenal’s resolve unless the midfielder first asks to leave North London.
“All the coaches love him but my policy is that it must be the player who makes the step to move because we do not want conflicts with any teams,” said Calderon to Marca.
“Cesc has something beautiful as he is Spanish and this is one of my goals, to make Real Madrid more Spanish.”
Real have also been linked with David Villa of Valencia, Mallorca striker Daniel Guiza and Sevilla’s Luis Fabiano, and Calderon has revealed he is keen to get three players signed up before Euro 2008 gets underway.
“[Real want] a maximum of three players and we hope to sign them before the Euros.
“It will be difficult but it would be ideal to have all players in pre-season.”
A 2-1 win over Osasuna on Sunday clinched a 31st league title for the capital club and under coach Bernd Schuster, Real have succeeded in considerably more style than Fabio Capello’s pragmatic approach which delivered last season’s title triumph.
Schuster has not been immune to criticism this season though with Real disappointing in Europe, but Calderon insists he is delighted with the German’s work so far in Madrid.
“We are on track with Schuster. It seemed to me that he could do the role of coach of Madrid and it seems that we were not wrong.
“There was much concern about the pressure on certain days from the press. I told him repeatedly that it is normal that the pressure for a trainer of a club like Real Madrid is very big, with the press constantly asking for everything.”