Barcelona captain Carles Puyol
believes Arsenal would be wrong to deprive Cesc Fabregas of returning
"home" to the Nou Camp this summer.
Fabregas has been linked with a move back to Barca
for some time now and speculation has reached an all-time high this
summer that he will soon return to Catalonia.
A number of Barca players have spoken of their desire to team up
with the midfielder but Arsene Wenger has called for an end to the talk
after insisting Fabregas will stay put.
Puyol does not expect his Spain team-mate to go public in his
desire to make the move, but he does feel the Gunners should respect
their captain's wishes.
"Cesc is a really nice guy and desperate to become a Barcelona
player," Puyol said in the Daily Star Sunday.
"But he is not the sort of player to be ruthless and start using
the media to get him the move that he wants.
"There are many
players who would try all sorts of tricks to make it impossible to ever
play for Arsenal again but that is not his style.
"I think
Arsenal need to respect his class and show the same class by giving the
guy who has given so much to them the move that he and his family want.
"He
isn't just being deprived of moving to the best club in the world. More
importantly, he is being deprived of coming home.
"He has tried
everything to win trophies at Arsenal and when he sees the success so
many of his Spanish team-mates are having at Barcelona, it's only
natural that he should want to be a part of that."
Puyol may have
to wait to team up with Fabregas at club level, but he is confident of
doing so at some point in the future.
He added: "He is the future of Barcelona and Arsenal can't do
anything to stop that. I have just spent six weeks with him and there is
only one club he wants to be at.
"The worst-case scenario is
that we have to wait another 12 months for him to join us - but Arsenal,
Barcelona and Cesc know that is the very worst-case scenario."
Former
Gunner Thierry Henry, meanwhile, has said he would understand if
Fabregas wants to return to his homeland.
"It is hard because the guy is from Barcelona. I wouldn't like to
be in his shoes that's all I can say," Henry told Radio Five's
Sportsweek programme.
"I wouldn't like to be in his position because he is from there
and he loves Arsenal.
"I don't know what to say about this, because I don't want to
talk for him.
"But as an Arsenal fan, for me, I want him to stay at Arsenal,
but I would also understand if he goes back home."
Henry is preparing to begin a new chapter in his life after he
signed for Major League Soccer side the New York Red Bulls this week.
The 32-year-old is likely to finish his career in the United
States after he signed a "multi-year deal", but revealed when his
playing days are over he would like to return to the Emirates Stadium in
some capacity.
"What I want to do is when I retire, I don't know how, but I want
to come back to Arsenal," he added.
"I have just come here (New York) to play and to compete and win
another title. After everything is done then I will think about it.
"Whatever it is I want to come back (to Arsenal), maybe as a
waterboy, I just love this club."
Coincidentally, Henry's first game for New York could be against
the Gunners' north-London rivals Tottenham, with the teams to meet in a
pre-season friendly on Thursday.
"I'm trying to get back in shape (for the match)," he added.
"I've not done much since the World Cup. I don't think I will
play long, but we will see."
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