Arsenal Transfer Rumours - Samba, Alvarez could come in, Fabregas going nowhere

Barcelona's long-standing pursuit of Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas is set to continue after the Catalan club had a reported bid rejected for the Span international.

According to reports in the Daily Mail, Telegraph and The Sun, the bid is around the region of £27million. Barca president Sandro Rosell had, earlier in the week, said that they wouldn't pay more than £35million for the 24-year-old, as he is slightly prone to hamstring injuries.

Rosell had said, If last year we offered 40 million Euros (£35.5 million), it is clear that this year his value is less. Since then there has been wear and tear and he is worth less. Guardiola knows the values of players and Cesc's is less than 40 million Euros. Barcelona will offer less and, if they don't accept, then he won't come.

According to ESPNSoccernet, the latest bid is believed to be a verbal one, made by Barca's vice president Josep Maria Bartomeu while he visited London this week, though the bid was rejected immediately by Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis.

With Barcelona refusing to pay more than £35.million, and Arsenal in no mood to sell, it looks like Fabregas will remain at the Emirates, although according to Rosell the Spaniard is doing all he can to make the move. In fact, the Telegraph has reported that Arsenal's valuation of Fabregas bobs around the region of £44 million - a stunning £17 million more than what Barca offered.

Elsewhere, the Daily Mail reports that Arsenal have resumed talks with Argentinian midfielder Ricardo Alvarez, after negotiations with Velez Sarsfield broke down last month. Alvarez, a 23-year-old who can play across the line of midfield, is rated at £11 million by the club - a figure which Arsenal are unwilling to pay.

Arsenal are the favourites to sign him but face competition from Inter Milan, Malaga, Sevilla, Roma and Schalke.

Another player who wants to join the Gunners is Blackburn defender Christopher Samba. According to the Daily Mirror, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is ready to pay Rovers' asking price of £12million , as they had rejected an £8million offer from Arsenal previously.

Samba, 25, made his intentions clear to Blackburn, saying I know talks are taking place with certain clubs, said the 6ft 4in tall centre-back, who joined from Hertha Berlin on a free in 2007.

I've been at Blackburn for four-and-a-half years, and I've been fighting against relegation in two of those seasons. If a good opportunity comes up for me I want to take it. The club has to ­understand that I want to step up a level. I hope that they will not put a spanner in the works for me.

The Gunners are also linked to a possible move for Everton defender Phil Jagielka, as they look to strengthen their central defensive area.

Finally, The Sun reports that striker Carlos Vela will not be sold by Arsenal, despite failing to impress last season. He was one of the many players expected to leave as Wenger looks to revamp his side, but Vela's agent Eduardo Hernandez insisted that the Mexican was still a part of Wenger's plans.

He said: I have had eight conversations with Arsenal, the most recent was last Friday, and Carlos is an Arsenal player, he will stay at Arsenal and is not for sale.

The process with Carlos is a little bit slow.

Arsene Wenger is an extremely demanding coach, he sent him on loan for six months to West Brom not with the results he wanted, but, nevertheless, everything is going very well.