Real to hijack Barca’s Fab plan and other red-hot gossip

Real Madrid are mulling over a sensational offer of £40m for Cesc Fabregas in an attempt to sabotage Barcelona’s efforts to sign the 23-year-old Spain international. According to reports, the Meringues believe that landing the Arsenal skipper will deal their fierce rivals a psychological blow ahead of the new season. Barca have been chasing Fabregas for over a year. Elsewhere, Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard is the preferred transfer target for Real Madrid fans, according to a poll in Spanish newspaper Marca; Birmingham will increase their offer for Palermo striker Fabrizio Miccoli after their initial £3.4m bid was rejected by the Serie A side; Manchester City are prepared to make Liverpool striker Fernando Torres the world's richest footballer by offering him £200,000-a-week to join them; and Everton’s Mikel Arteta is set to reject offers from Manchester United and Arsenal to sign a new deal at Goodison Park.