Barcelona defender Gerard Pique claims that Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas talks about playing for the Catalan giants all the time during his time on World Cup duty with Spain and says that the midfielder is “already in his heart wearing a Barcelona shirt”.
Both players are products of the Barcelona youth system and came through it together, before Gunners boss Arsene Wenger whisked Fabregas off to England when he was a 16-year-old. The midfielder has since come into his own at the Emirates and his form and achievements have led to his former club wanting him back in Spain.
Earlier this summer, it was revealed that after tapping him up, Barcelona advised Fabregas to return to England to demand that Arsenal sell him to the La Liga champions. The player is also keen on a return to his boyhood club and made his feelings known to Wenger, most recently when the two men met in South Africa for further discussions over his future with the Gunners.
Barcelona have already had a £29 million bid rejected by Arsenal and Wenger is insisting that his captain is not for sale at any price. The Catalan giants’ new president Sandro Rosell warned earlier this week that while he was keen to sign the player, he would not allow the club to be held to ransom and does not see the player worth too much money.
The lack of respect shown by his dream club has not deterred Fabregas from spending most of his time talking to Spain’s crop of Barcelona players about joining them after the World Cup in La Liga. Pique insists that he expects Fabregas to become his club mate in the near future and that Arsenal are no longer in the midfielder’s heart nor in his consideration for his long term career.
“I have known that Cesc wanted to join Barcelona for many years – but now it is more than about wanting to do it. Now it is something he feels he must do,” Pique revealed.
“The World Cup has not been a good thing for Arsenal. It has meant that he has been spending every day with myself, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Victor Valdes – and he has made his feelings very clear to us.
“He is keeping his mind focused on Spain but his heart is in Barcelona. I think already in his heart he is wearing a Barcelona shirt next season.”
Tags: Arsenal, Barcelona, Cesc Fabregas, English Premier League, Gerard Pique, La Liga, Spain, transfer news, World Cup, World Cup 2010
Said the splitter to the splitter.
Pique, fine one to talk. (Ok, I’m just jealous – wish he’d stayed at Utd… Ok yes, I’ll have Cesc and an order of fries to go as well…)