Barcelona is considering a move for Arsenal's Spanish star Cesc Fabregas after the player said he would like to return to the Catalan giant, Barcelona president Joan Laporta said Tuesday. “It's remarkable that a player should commit himself in this way. If the club's technical staff believe we need to make the extra effort and sign him, we'll speak to Arsenal,” he said in comments published Barcelona's website. Last week Fabregas, 23, who has sparked interest from other clubs, said he would only leave Arsenal for Barcelona. “I have never hidden the fact that playing for Barcelona is a dream that I would like to fulfill and if I must leave Arsenal it would only be to play at Barca,” the midfielder said. Barcelona has held a long-standing interest in Fabregas, who quit the Spanish club in September 2003 at the age of just 16 after being offered more first-team opportunities at Arsenal. But Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said last month that his captain would not be sold. Fabregas, who has 48 caps for Spain, has been out of action since cracking a bone in his fibula during a Champions League quarter-final first-leg game against Barcelona on March 31. But he is confident of recovering in time to make Spain's World Cup squad. ‘Henry set for US move' Out of favor Barcelona forward Thierry Henry is poised for a move to a Major League Soccer team in the United States, the Spanish club's president Joan Laporta said Tuesday. “He is well thought of in the MLS (Major Soccer League),” Laporta said in comments published in the club's website. “We are working in this direction and trying to reconcile the interests of the player with those of the club.” The 32-year-old France captain, who joined Barcelona from Arsenal in 2007, has been linked to a move to the New York Bulls after the World Cup in South Africa. Henry has struggled to find a place in Barcelona's starting lineup due to the stiff competition he faces from players like Pedro, Bojan Krkic, Lionel Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Henry, a former World Cup winner, has scored 51 times in 118 appearances for France. Italy leaves out Grosso Fabio Grosso, who scored the decisive penalty when Italy won the 2006 World Cup, was brutally axed Tuesday from Marcello Lippi's squad for the defense of its title. Lippi was due to reduce his 30-man squad to the required list of 23 but has instead cut just Grosso and Juventus teammate Antonio Candreva and will wait until nearer the June 1 deadline to make a final decision. “I don't do an Italy with debts of gratitude,” Lippi told a news conference. “28? I have given myself 10 more days to reflect.” The Azzurri face Paraguay, New Zealand and Slovakia in Group F at the June 11-July 11 tournament in South Africa. Left back Grosso has been in poor form for Juventus, who finished a miserable seventh in Serie A this term, but his exclusion was still a surprise given Lippi has tried to base his group on the 2006 World Cup winners. Genoa's Domenico Criscito now looks set to play left back despite limited international experience. Midfielder Candreva was always on the fringes of the squad. Lippi made no direct comment about his future but again hinted he will step down after the World Cup, just like he did four years ago, with the Italian soccer federation promising a final decision before the team depart for South Africa. – Agenciese the team depart for South Africa.
