Pique expects Fabregas to join Barcelona

Fabregas has been linked with Barcelona for some time (GETTY IMAGES)

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique is confident that Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas will head back to the Camp Nou in the future, maybe as soon as next summer.

Fabregas, who started out as a youngster in the Barca youth set-up, is being heavily linked with a return to Spain and Pique would welcome him with open arms.

He said: "I still do not know if he will come here next season, but one day he will wear the Barca shirt again because he is a fan and I know that he wants to come back in the future.

"He is a player that should play here and he wants to come, but we will have to wait and see when that is."

Meanwhile, Andres Iniesta has confirmed that Real Madrid have shown some interest in him in the past.

The 25-year-old is set to make his 300th appearance for Barca this weekend in a league clash with Racing Santander and says that he has no wish to move away from the Camp Nou.

He told Sport: "It has always been a half-interest, but Barcelona has given everything to me and my family.

"There would be nothing that would make me happier than to end my career here."

Iniesta's midfield colleague for club and country, Xavi, has also admitted that he has considered moving on in the past.

The 30-year-old struggled to become a regular starter several seasons ago, before emerging as one of the leading playmakers in European football and a key member of the Spain side who are the reigning European champions.

He told Canal Plus: "Many times I thought about leaving Barcelona. In the early years, I knew there was a player ahead of me - Pep Guardiola - and knew that I could not play too much and I thought about leaving.

"A couple or three years ago, too. It wasn't working, it was the era of Frank Rijkaard. Even now, I do not know if the club had intended to sell me."