Barca reserve No.4 shirt for Fabregas
Barcelona are to leave the number four shirt open for the imminent arrival of Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas, according to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo.
The current incumbent of the jersey is Mexican Rafael Marquez who is set to join Thierry Henry at New York Red Bulls.
Fabregas is thought to own an old Barcelona number four jersey signed by his hero and Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola.
The paper claims that although the two parties are publicly declaring that talks have stalled, they are close to agreeing a deal in private.
Gunners manager Arsene Wenger said today that his side were not interested in selling Fabregas.
By Ian Woodcock
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Gary Parkinson is a freelance writer, editor, trainer, muso, singer, actor and coach. He spent 14 years at FourFourTwo as the Global Digital Editor and continues to regularly contribute to the magazine and website, including major features on Euro 96, Subbuteo, Robert Maxwell and the inside story of Liverpool's 1990 title win. He is also a Bolton Wanderers fan.