Barcelona finally set to unveil Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas

Fabregas has made 303 appearances for the Gunners scoring 57 goals

Barcelona are hoping to unveil Cesc Fabregas at a homecoming ceremony by Monday, BBC Sport has learned.

Barca sources say they are "99.9% certain" that a £35m transfer will go through.
Arsenal sources insist any final deal is still "days rather than hours away" but privately admit Fabregas's exit is imminent.
Fabregas trained with his Arsenal team-mates for what appears to be the final time on Friday morning.
It is believed Arsenal will receive a guaranteed £30m with a further £5m dependent on the number of games played and trophies won by the 24-year-old during his time at the Nou Camp.

CESC FABREGAS FACTFILE

• 1987: Born in the Catalonia town of Vilassar de Mar
• 2003: Leaves boyhood heroes Barcelona for Arsenal aged 16
• 2008: Installed as Arsenal club captain
• 2011: Set to rejoin Barcelona

Reports in Spain suggested Fabregas would travel to Barcelona this weekend and possibly attend the club's Super Cup match against Real Madrid on Sunday.
Arsenal's opening Premier League game at Newcastle on Saturday has delayed the completion of the deal.
But players at the Catalan giants have already hailed Fabregas's expected signing through social networking site Twitter.
Club captain Carlos Puyol tweeted: "Welcome home! Happy to have you here!" And fellow defender Gerard Pique added: "He's finally here!"
Earlier Arsene Wenger admitted neither Fabregas or Samir Nasri would play against Newcastle with both close to moves away from the club.
Nasri appears set for Manchester City for about £23m and has also been left out of the Gunners' squad travelling to St James' Park.

You do not want to lose big players. We fight to have big players so you do not want to lose them

Arsene Wenger Arsenal manager

Despite their absences, Wenger refused to be drawn on the speculation over the midfielders' futures on Friday morning.
He bizarrely claimed: "I expect nobody to leave. There is no news. If there is news, I promise I will give it."
When asked if he therefore expected the pair to stay, Wenger replied that that was "a good conclusion from my statement".
However, earlier on the club's official website, Wenger admitted that Fabregas' future could be decided before the start of the Premier League season.
"That is completely the truth. We hope it will be sorted out very quickly one way or the other. We'll know very quickly," he said.
Before the deal was confirmed Wenger said any losses from his squad would not be terminal.
The Frenchman added: "We are all replaceable. All the cemeteries are full of replaceable people.
"But you do not want to lose big players. We fight to have big players so you do not want to lose them."

ARSENAL'S START TO THE SEASON

• Saturday: Newcastle (a)
• 16 August: Udinese (h)
• 20 August: Liverpool (h)
• 24 August: Udinese (a)
• 28 August: Man Utd (a)

Fabregas has not appeared for the Gunners in pre-season after suffering a hamstring injury, although
Wenger dismissed the suggestion, however, that Fabregas had refused to play for him.
And despite Nasri starting and playing for 65 minutes in France's game against Chile on Wednesday, Wenger insisted the 24-year-old was suffering from an illness.
"Cesc is not on strike. Cesc is not injured, he's not match fit. I don't want to go any deeper than that," he added.
"Nasri went for the national team, he was sick, and he has not completely recovered yet. There are no other aspects why he is not in the squad."
Meanwhile, Wenger said that attempts to sign Valencia winger Juan Mata have failed.
"We will not do (a deal for) Juan Mata. I don't have to give a reason," he said.

Fabregas seals Carling Cup semi-final win

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