In the news today:

The long standing saga that is Cesc Fabregas and Barcelona rumbles on today in The Mirror as the newspaper report that the Catalan's first formal bid has been turned down by Arsenal.

Barca have made it well known that they want to sign the Arsenal skipper, and Fabregas himself certainly hasn't denied the rumours, but with a £45m price tag the Spanish side are well short of that mark.

The reported bid was £31m, some £14m off the mark and somewhat of an insult to Arsenal's valuation.

Speculation earlier this month was suggesting that Barca's transfer budget this summer was only £35m, unless they could make extra through player sales. So, with that in mind they only have another £4m to offer and therefore £10m off Arsenal's fee.

It's imagined however that Arsenal's 18 month resilliance over Cesc could finally wimper this summer with the two clubs eventually meeting somewhere in the middle, and securing the switch.

Nicklas Bendtner is desperately looking for a new club to give him first team football next season, but it is looking like the Greatest Striker IIn The World may still be sitting on the Arsenal bench next season.

The Danish international’s father, Thomas, said last week that there had been a firm offer to Arsenal from Sporting Lisbon, and they were awaiting a bid from the German giants Borussia Dortmund.

Thomas said: “There is interest from several German clubs. I can confirm that Borussia Dortmund would like to buy,”

“Unfortunately I cannot comment on whether there have been any negotiations between Dortmund and Nicklas or Dortmund and Arsenal.”

Sporting immediately issued a denial that they had any interest in Bendtner, and now Dortmund have followed suit by responding that they have completed their transfer dealings.

Their sporting director Hans-Joachim Watzke told Bild: “Our plans for the new season are complete.”

Nicklas Bendtner has confirmed to a Danish website that he has made the decision to leave Arsenal this summer.

The striker found first-team opportunities hard to come by this season with the arrival of Marouane Chamakh and the scoring form of Robin van Persie.

Indeed most of the playing time Bendtner had was out of position on the wing, a role he has found it hard to adapt to.

Bayern Munich are believed to be interested, and the 23-year-old has welcomed a new challenge after seven years at Arsenal.

He said: "I have decided 100% that I must leave Arsenal. I've considered this for a long time and was quite clear when I arrived at my decision.

"It doesn't feel particularly strange to not know what my future holds - I'm quite calm and confident that I'll be fine at a new club.

"I'm fully focused on Saturday's game for now, because it is incredibly important, but after the international is over I may focus more directly on my future [but] I am sure I could easily go on holiday without having to panic about it. I'm looking to relax, mentally, after a season that was not what I hoped for or expected."

Bendtner has been valued at roughly £10million by his father and agent.