AS Monaco are growing increasingly confident of finalising a deal to sign Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas by the end of next week, according to L’Équipe.

After making initial contact with the player in December, Monaco are willing to pay the Spanish international big money in order to convince him to leave London, where his Chelsea contract runs for only 6 more months.

Fabregas has approaches from English and Italian sides too, but Monaco have a considerable number of pluses in the former Arsenal player’s mind: reuniting with Michael Emenalo, the Sporting Director who brought him to Chelsea in the first place, signing a last, major contract and crucially being at a club with Thierry Henry again, but this time with the former French international as his manager.

Monaco are projecting an air of confidence about concluding this deal, even if there remain several details to be sorted out with Chelsea, Fabregas has agreed to a 2.5 year contract in principle with more than a €10m signing bonus awaiting him.

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