Spain

The 22-year-old Arsenal star has been out of action since he suffered a cracked bone in his fibula against Barcelona in the March 31 Champions League quarter-final, and ended the Premier League season in the stands.

Fabregas has been recuperating in Spain, and believes he is well on track to be fit for the World Cup opener against Switzerland in Durban on June 16 (Spain 1/3, draw 10/3, Switzerland 9/1).

He said: “I am pleased to say that my recovery from a cracked fibula is on schedule.

“I have started jogging for the first time, and it looks as if I will begin running again properly tomorrow.

“I am happy with how things are going and now I just have to be patient, making sure I come back as strongly as I can.”

He added: “On May 24, I will join up with the Spanish national team and should be able to join in a bit when we play Saudi Arabia five days later.

“The timing is looking good for the World Cup, but I am sad not to have played a part in the end of Arsenal’s season.”

Fabregas has been a vital part of Arsenal’s campaign, which ended with them finishing in third place in the Premier League.

The former Barcelona trainee, who joined Arsenal in 2003 at the age of 16, began his international career with Spain when he played at the FIFA U-17 World Championship in Finland in 2003, and was called up to the senior squad ahead of the 2006 World Cup.

He helped Spain win Euro 2008, and has now scored five times in 47 appearances for the national team.

He has already battled back from one serious injury, just in time to make the Confederations Cup last June, which was also staged in South Africa.

He scored what was his second international goal in the 5-0 win against New Zealand in the group stages, and was part of the team that was shocked 2-0 by the USA in the semi-finals.

Fabregas was last on target for the national side in November, when scoring in the 5-1 win in Vienna which Spain won 5-1.

The star will be hoping that off-field distractions are kept to a minimum ahead of the tournament, as there have been rumours of him leaving the Emirates Stadium to join Barcelona.

Barca’s Yaya Toure has apparently suggested that he could move to Arsenal as part of a deal taking Fabregas the other way, with suggestions that a further £25 million could be paid to Arsenal.

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