New Barcelona president Sandro Rosell says the club will not be paying over the odds to prise Cesc Fabregas away from Arsenal this summer. Catalans are renowned for their frugality and shrewd business sense, however, and Rosell says Barca will not be held to ransom by Arsenal.
"We will never pay 50 or 60 million euros (£41m) for Cesc," the Barca president told radio station RAC1.
Barcelona have already had a bid of 35million euros (£29million) turned down by Arsenal for a player that came through the youth ranks at the Nou Camp before moving to north London aged 16.
It is thought the Catalans are now willing to pay 40million euros to buy back the midfielder, but Arsenal are in no hurry to sell.
"The whole world knows he wants to come and that we want to sign him," Rosell said.
But the Barca president regrets the club's pursuit of Fabregas has become public.
"It's a topic that has become so public and that's the worst thing you can do with a transfer, because it makes the selling club raise their expectations and you end up paying over the odds," he added.
