Arsenal have announced that they have agreed a deal in principle to sell club captain Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona.

Deal agreed in principle with Barca

Medical

Arsenal have announced that they have agreed a deal in principle to sell club captain Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona. The World Cup-winning midfielder has been heavily linked with a move to Camp Nou for some time and has admitted on numerous occasions that he would welcome a return to his Catalan roots. It appears as though he has finally got his wish, with Arsenal having buckled in their resistance to a deal. The Gunners have stood firm during past transfer windows, making it clear to Barca that they were unwilling to do business. They have, however, accepted that Fabregas wants out and that they need to cash-in while they can still demand a sizeable fee. A deal with Barca is subject to the completion of formal legal agreements and registration processes. Fabregas, who left Barca's academy to join Arsenal in 2003, must also agree personal terms and pass a medical before a transfer can be pushed through.Arsenal, though, are resigned to the fact that their skipper is set to end his eight-year association with the club. He will leave having made 303 appearances for the North London giants, scoring 57 goals in all competitions. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told his club's: "We have been clear that we didn't want Cesc to leave and that remains the case. "However, we understand Cesc's desire to move to his home town club and have now accepted an offer from Barcelona. "We thank Cesc for his contribution at Arsenal and wish him future success." Barcelona have confirmed that Fabregas will undergo a medical on Monday before putting pen to paper.