Real Madrid, Barcelona in race for Fabregas

Cesc Fabregas has become one of the main targets of Madrid and Barcelona to reinforce their squads next season.

Real Madrid and European champions Barcelona will battle to sign Arsenal's Spanish captain Cesc Fabregas at the end of the season, sports daily AS reported Tuesday.

- Cesc Fabregas has become one of the main targets of Madrid and Barcelona to reinforce their squads next season - it said.

Real recently joined the list of clubs interested in signing the 22-year-old international midfielder, who rose through the ranks of Barcelona before leaving to join Arsenal in 2004, the newspaper said without naming its source.

Spanish media reported elsewhere that Sandro Rosell, a former Nike executive, wants to use the recruitment of Fabregas to boost his bid to be elected president of Barcelona at the club's next elections in 2010.

- I'm comfortable at Arsenal. We have started strongly in the league and Champions League. We will see how it goes and hopefully injuries will be kind to us - British paper Daily Mail quoted Fabregas as saying on Tuesday.

- My future? I'm focussed on the short term and don't look beyond that. I have a great responsibility to my club and now is not the time to think beyond that - he added.

Fabregas is set to play for Spain in a friendly against Austria on Wednesday in Vienna, the scene of their Euro 2008 triumph.