Premier League - Cesc wants Alonso at Arsenal

Eurosport - Sun, 24 Aug 15:26:00 2008

Arsenal midfielder Francesc Fabregas has said he would "love it" if Spain team-mate Xabi Alonso joins him at the club, although manager Arsene Wenger admitted that they are not close to signing any new players.

FOOTBALL Spain Xabi Alonso Francesc Fabregas - 0

The Gunners slumped to a 1-0 Premier League defeat at Fulham on Saturday and are widely expected to add experience to their young squad.

After crumbing in the latter stages of last season, they were then hit by the triple-blow of midfielders Mathieu Flamini, Gilberto Silva and Alexander Hleb leaving the club.

And with Fabregas, Abou Diaby and Tomas Rosicky all injured, they have been forced to play a selection of teenagers and full-back Emmanuel Eboue in midfield.

But Wenger while admitted that the club "are not close to signing anybody" and insisted that "it is not always the solution to buy", Fabregas, himself only 21, took the unusual step of asking former Real Sociedad playmaker Alonso to join him in North London.

"He is my friend and apart from that he is a great passer of the ball, he works hard defensively, he's experienced and he is only 26", Fabregas said of the man who recently saw a transfer to Juventus fall through.

"For me he would be perfect. I'd love it."

His comments echoed those of Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, who earlier in the summer publicly supported a bid to sign close friend and England colleague Gareth Barry - a proposed transfer which, ironically, precipitated his boss Rafael Benitez's decision to make Alonso available for sale.

The Gunners did sign Samir Nasri (20 years old), Amaury Bischoff (21) and Aaron Ramsey (17) in the summer, but the trio were already on their wish-list before the departures and injuries ravaged their squad of bite and experience.

Fabregas, however, is still convinced that Arsenal are going places, and that Alonso would not be downgrading by moving from Liverpool.

"I have a lot of friends in Spain and Italy and when they speak about other clubs I know I am privileged to be where I am," he claimed.

"I don't want to lose it. I want to win things for the club. I want to get experience here. I want to play for Arsenal.

"I would love [to captain Arsenal]. I am happy with everything, my number four, playing in centre midfield and giving 100 percent in every game.

"But if the boss thinks in one or two years I am ready to be captain, I will take the armband."

Reda Maher / Eurosport

Comment 21 - 40 of 40

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  1. If Alonso is focused, he should join and also Wenger shld know that the club lack experience;if at all we need to do some thing in this comming seasion we shld sign the likes of Alonso From Kaggwa Edwards

    From Edward, on Fri 10 Jul 8:01PM

  2. we don't need anything we've got the players last

    From Idris, on Tue 7 Jul 6:34PM

  3. Come on alonso, you know arsenal is the best team in the world, join

    From jakemartin1996, on Wed 1 Jul 7:45PM

  4. I THINK WE NEED HIM AT DAT DEFENCE IS GOOD

    From Wale, on Wed 1 Jul 10:53AM

  5. I THINK WE NEED HIM AT DAT DEFENCE IS GOOD

    From Wale, on Wed 1 Jul 10:46AM

  6. im a lifelong arsenal supporter ive never been so worried for the club with all the injuries n wengers frustrating transfer tactics WE NEED EXPERIENCE IN MIDFIELD ARSENE CESC IS NOT A 1 MAN TEAM !!!!! we need another winger and another striker we have the money so spend it on silva and david villa we need proof that the club is in the right hands!!!

    From paulb1298, on Mon 25 Aug 10:01PM

  7. come on u gunners.

    From Edward, on Mon 25 Aug 9:08PM

  8. i think wenger should sign alonso but we all no he wil not pay over 12 million for a player (arsenal fan)

    From daniel, on Mon 25 Aug 8:19PM

  9. i think wenger should sign alonso but we all no he wil not pay over 12 million for a player (arsenal fan)

    From daniel, on Mon 25 Aug 8:18PM

  10. rafal is not treating alonso good for the fact that both of them r from the same country,i don't think barry is better then alonso.anyway i will be pleased if arsene wenger buys alonso.his a gud player.i'm arsenal fan,c'mon guys we can do better than lastwkend.i belief in the gunners and with self commitement we can archieve somthing these season,good luck chaps.

    From Tony, on Mon 25 Aug 5:50PM

  11. yea yea we gonna win d PSL but first lets buy alonso

    From Abimbola, on Mon 25 Aug 4:56PM

  12. I GUESS HE IS GOOD FOR THE ARSENAL..

    From go_ner, on Mon 25 Aug 6:57AM

  13. michelle.lieberman23...yea in ur dream...u only gonna lose fabregas at end of thiz season...even ur star player had released a statement earlier tat he would oso leave arsenal if arsenal doesn't win any trophies...alonso is more loyal to liverpool..so wateva happens he will remains as liverpool player....BLA BLA BLA ...

    From Michael O, on Sun 24 Aug 5:36PM

  14. Yeh, who asked Manu fans 2 comment? get lost this is about The Arsenal, not everything revolves around your lot and as for the Liverpools fans 'tuff' he will be an Arsenal player by the end of the week get used to it. You can then go and buy Garrards mate from Aston Vanilla.

    From michelle.lieberman23@..., on Sun 24 Aug 4:36PM

  15. veloso would be better

    From dan.neagu@..., on Sun 24 Aug 4:21PM

  16. me to ronaldo v and i also support manu

    From Andrew, on Sun 24 Aug 4:08PM

  17. i dont like alonso id pay 5m at the most

    From Andrew, on Sun 24 Aug 3:59PM

  18. I am a Man u fan, and i think arsenal must need more experience players he could be any body to play with other three top teams, otherwise they are gonna lose the title again

    From ronaldo_virani, on Sun 24 Aug 3:55PM

  19. Stop talking about it Fab and get off the bloody treatment table - its about time some of these wimps worked through their knocks like JT does at Chelsea he's a real man he just gets on with it. Trouble is we have got too many young boys who still need their mums to rub their bruises better - Rosicky is a disgrace he is just lazy and what was the point in buying Silvesta just to put him on the Treatment table - I love The Arsenal but I cant see us going anywhere this season - its definately time for a change, bring back david dein and sack the stuffy old board.

    From michelle.lieberman23@..., on Sun 24 Aug 3:51PM

  20. go go Arsenal, go go to WIN

    From Iksan, on Sun 24 Aug 3:47PM
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