'Immediately and resolutely'

There are some days in a fan's life where you understand that the choice of life-long partner in club football has been the right one. For me, this is one of them. The reason is the direct, yet eloquent prose coming out of arsenal.com here.

There are only so many ways to say 'no'. Arsenal seem to have covered them all in replying to Barcelona's formal transfer offer for Cesc Fabregas. A sum of between 30 and 35 million pounds was offered. But I get the feeling, reading the club statement, that if Ivan Gazidis could have sent his middle finger by telefax, he would.

This isn't about money. Every player has his price, even Fabregas (though a world record one). It's about telling Barcelona very clearly - 'immediately and resolutely' - that they can't do what they want to other football clubs. Just because the authorities in Catalonia keep paying their debts, they can't fly around Europe throwing Euros after other club's players.

It's been claimed that UEFA's silence in the matter stems from the fact that an English club is the victim of the tapping-up of the player, and not the ones doing the tapping. That's a bit rich, IMO.

Instead, I like to interpret the last sentence in Arsenal's statement as a warning to Barcelona: "Barcelona have publicly stated that they will respect our position and we expect that they will keep their word."

I think it means: "Now shut up and go away, or we'll report you to uncle Platini and you won't do transfers at all for two years."