Posted by Stephen Kuzner

By Stephen Kuzner - WFD Fan Correspondent

Thursday July 22nd was the first day in awhile I didn't see anything related to FC Barcelona's courtship, tapping-up, tampering or whatever you have it of Cesc Fàbregas. My skySPORTS Ticker on my laptop empty of Cesc/Barca gossip? This is when I realized I was more interested in Cesc's courtship than Barcelona actually signing him. This silly season hasn't been one of outlandish signing rather one of a silly seduction of an entire team to one player. You couldn't make this stuff up.

Before we get to this love story, lets go to the all-knowing decider of definitions, Wikipedia to define tapping-up. It states, "tapping-up is an attempt to persuade a player contracted to one team to transfer to another team, without the knowledge or permission of the player's current team." From this definition it's really tricky say whether Barcelona is tapping-up or not. They certainly are attempting to persuade Cesc to transfer to Barcelona. There are very few Barcelona players who haven't done this publicly the past few weeks. Arsenal undoubtedly is aware of their public affection for Cesc. But, is Barcelona's courting of Cesc with Arsenal's permission? This question may be more gray than it seems at first. Arsene Wenger has made it clear he doesn't want to sell, but why then has Rosell said Barcelona won't pay €50. This sounds like there was a price discussed.

It may be better not to get caught up in the concept of tapping-up at all. In the end, there has to be a buyer, a seller, and some communication. Anything outside of a formal transfer request and a formal bid by a buying team could be deemed tapping-up. Such a black and white definition would prohibit normal human communication. In the real work world, it's called giving a two week notice to move on to something better. However, sports isn't the normal world.

As of this writing, Cesc has not put in a formal transfer request. Why? He has loyalties to both teams. He wants to move-on according to his cryptic public statements, but probably wants to keep Arsenal in a good place with the transfer fee. He's stuck in the middle of a Mexican standoff where each side really does not want to budge on what they deem is a fit and proper price; hence the crazed courting of Cesc as leverage.

Some of the things Barcelona have done in this courting are truly audacious: Puyol and Pigue putting a Barcelona jersey on Cesc during a world cup celebration of all places in Madrid, Xavi saying that if Cesc doesn't transfer this summer he'd really be on loan at Arsenal, this, the day after Barcelona sporting vice-president Josep Maria Bartolomeu says they need to repair relations with Arsenal, and long-line of Barcelona players that have made a public statement about their affection for Cesc over the last two months. Arsenal supporters have right to be upset simply from the shear number of these public displays of affection for CESC. We'll call them PDAC's.

Tomorrow's Friday. What will be on my skySPORTS Ticker? It's a safe bet to see another episode of Barca, The Cesc-less.

Please send any feedback to skuzner@gmail.com.