Arsenal Transfer News: Don't Be Surprised by Lack of Fabregas Progress

Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas saga has come to dominate the Gunners' summer transfer plans. The central attacking midfielder is once again being pursued by Barcelona, in what has become an annual rite of summer in the world football scene. 

This summer, the Catalan giants have seen their lone bid of £27 million roundly rejected by the Gunners, but that hasn't stopped them from engaging in a bit of smack talk with the Premiership side, despite the fact that manager Arsene Wenger is under no pressure to sell his club's captain. 

Most recently, the Spanish club sent a delegation, spearheaded by club vice president Josep Bartomeu, to bring an end to the madness once and for all. 

Or, at least, that was supposed to be the plan. Many thought that perhaps the Spanish champions had found the cash necessary to meet Arsenal's £40 million asking price, or had figured out a way to get Wenger and Arsenal to bargain for their midfield dynamo. 

At the very least, most assumed that by the end of next week, when the delegation returned to Barcelona, they'd know for sure whether Fabregas was actually obtainable or not. 

Instead, all we've gotten in the first few days of negotiations is the same thing fans received for the first month of talks: a whole lot of nothing. 

You read that right; Arsene Wenger told reporters there was no change in his captain's status with the club, according to a Mirror Football report. 

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"The position at the moment [with Fabregas] is a 'no comment' situation, because there is no movement at all," Wenger said. 

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But given the way the negotiations had gone prior to the delegation's arrival, the severe lack of movement (described by the report as a "stalemate") should be no surprise whatsoever. 

What about the Catalan club's stance indicated that they were willing to match Arsenal's price? Was it the £23 million they dropped to get Alexis Sanchez on Thursday? Oh, wait, that was just cash that could have gone towards landing Fabregas, and a move that further closes potential spots on the pitch for the prodigal prodigy. 

Now, there don't seem to be any places left for Fabregas in Barca's front six, making the move less likely than ever. 

Was it something that manager Pep Guardiola said? Oh, wait, he's said all along that Barcelona have cash set aside for Fabregas, and that they're willing to wait until August 31 without upping their bid again. 

This saga has been nothing but false starts, wheel-spinning and a severe lack of actual progress. For all their bluster and bombast in trying to land Fabregas, the Catalan club has yet to actually do anything in the area that matters most: the price tag. Until their offer is closer to the Gunners' price, nothing will happen. 

I've said from the get-go that this move wouldn't happen, and Wenger's comments on the lack of progress simply confirm that for me. Delegation or no delegation, Barcelona's lack of progress in trying to land Fabregas is little surprise given their behavior thus far this summer, and even less surprising when you consider the cash they spend on Sanchez.

Don't expect any progress going forward, either. Wenger is content to let August 31 pass without selling his star, and the Spanish giants have yet to show a willingness to up their bid. As long as both of those facts are true, don't think for a second that progress will be made, or that the saga is going anywhere.

As much as we want it to, I just don't see it happening in the near future.