Pique: Fabregas will Come

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique is convinced Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas will sign for his club one day.

The Catalan club chased the Gunners skipper all summer but the North Londoners refused to budge and the Liga champions admitted defeat – for this season at least.

Pique, who was one of a group of Spain players to force Fabregas to wear a Barca shirt during their World Cup celebrations in July, believes his friend will play for the club sooner or later.

“Cesc will one day sign for Barca,” he said.

Pique also waded into the debate about the size of Barcelona’s squad, which was criticised after it was shorn of several first-team players for the 3-1 Supercopa defeat to Sevilla.

The defender was one of eight World Cup players rested for that match and – while an already thin squad was depleted further following the departures of Yaya Toure, Thierry Henry and Rafael Marquez – Pique is certain that David Villa, Adriano Correia and the club’s famous youth system will provide more than enough competition.

“I would rather have 19 top players than 24 or 25 with less quality,” he added. “That is not a reference to Real Madrid. They have a greater need to strengthen.