Footballer gets put on the spot

Nothing throws a man like a direct question from a lover. Everyone’s been there, laying in bed with limbs still entwined, beads of sweat dripping from your nose. “Promise that you’ll stay with me forever,” she whispers into your ear. Alarm bells ring, but you keep your cool. “Yeah… erm, why not?” you splutter, extremely smoothly. God you’re handsome.

Which leads us rather clumsily onto Cesc Fabregas, who caught all of the headlines yesterday with his pledge to stay at Arsenal for the rest of his career. Possibly. What actually happened was that the young midfielder responded to a direct question about whether he would consider seeing out his playing days with the North Londoners, by smoothly spluttering this:

“Why not? I have never really thought about it, staying here all my life, because I am only 22 and you never know what your career will bring, but why not? It is my seventh season now, I am really happy, better than ever, so you never know.”

That, unfortunately, is football speak for: “erm, yeah, could do.”

Perhaps don’t get too excited just yet.