Barcelona have confirmed they've made contact with Arsenal for Cesc Fabregas.

Arsenal are determined to hold on to their captain and chairman Peter Hill-Wood has expressed his surprise that the club are yet to receive an offer for Fabregas.

The Catalan giants' director general Joan Oliver has now revealed tentative contact has been made with their Premier League counterparts as Barca weigh up their next move.

"There is no offer yet," Oliver told the club's official website.

"It's true the player has expressed his wish to play for Barca, perhaps this coming season.

"We have had first contacts with Arsenal in which we made known our intention to talk and that's the current situation.

"We are not in any hurry and you never know how long these operations can take."