The Catalan midfielder dreams of a return to his hometown club but the form of La Masia's latest star may see Pep Guardiola wait a year, causing uncertainty for Gunners skipper

Until just a few days ago, there seemed to be an air of inevitability about Cesc Fabregas' move from Arsenal to Barcelona.



Cesc , claimed Barca coach Pep Guardiola , was a priority, but the first item on the Catalan club’s agenda was a forward, he revealed. So once Chile attacker Alexis Sanchez had signed up, the midfielder’s arrival appeared imminent. Hurrah. At last, Barca fans could rest in peace – Cesc was coming home. Then, on Wednesday night, against the mighty Bayern Munich, those supporters witnessed a new No. 4, a man ready to adopt the mantle of midfield maestro once Xavi declines and pull on the jersey immortalised at Camp Nou by Guardiola himself.



Impressive, imposing, imperious, irrepressible, industrious, imaginative, illuminated and indefatigable, this No. 4 dotted all the i’s, defeating Bayern with a classy header and a stunning strike, shining like a beacon in a bright young side. But this was not Cesc Fabregas ; it was Thiago Alcantara .

Thiago’s emergence is nothing new to Barca fans, of course. In fact, the all-action midfielder is highly thought of in the Catalan capital and many supporters, although keen for Cesc to return for reasons of nostalgia, nationality and necessity, are beginning to believe their former youth team player is actually not the long-term successor to Xavi they once saw him to be – especially at a cost of around €40 million.



Thiago’s appearances last season were limited, leaving some Barca followers frustrated, but the cultured

centrocampista

has gone from strength-to-strength this summer, playing a pivotal part in Spain’s European Under-21 Championship win, scoring in the game against Internacional on Tuesday and then beating Bayern with an elite exhibition a day later. So while Cesc’s price fails to drop, Thiago’s stock continues to rise. And all of that has brought about an intriguing numbers game.

In mint condition | Thiago's double downed Bayern on Wednesday



Guardiola’s decision to hand Thiago the No. 4 shirt is shrouded in significance, smacking of Pep politics, Pep psychology; the Barca coach knows better than anyone that Cesc wants to inherit the jersey worn by his idol, and in fact, when Fabregas’ parents were going through a divorce, Guardiola signed a shirt for the youngster with the message: “One day, this shirt will be yours.”



No doubt, then, Cesc was alarmed to see this shirt, without an occupant since the departure of Mexico’s stylish stopper Rafa Marquez, not only worn by a new incumbent, but fit perfectly as well. Guardiola genuinely feels Fabregas could be doing more to return to the club that gave him a start in professional football. Publicly, he has maintained the need to respect Arsenal, but privately, he believes Cesc could be more proactive in seeking a solution.

Guardiola is also keen to see how Thiago will cope with the added responsibility of a regular starting spot, whether the 20-year-old will thrive in the part of protagonist or wilt under pressure. So far, be it in the red of Spain, or in the

Blaugrana

“ Thiago and Cesc are very good players and both can fit in the same team; they are perfectly compatible.

”



- Xavi

Guardiola’s marvellous mind is in overdrive as he seeks not just greatness for his beloved Barca , but the pursuit of perfection. A prime example of such is when he claimed before the Champions League final against Manchester United at the end of May that his side had not played very well in the 2009 showpiece, when most observers had agreed that his men had produced a masterclass. “We can do much better,” he claimed. So leaving sentiment to one side, Guardiola will now be consciously considering the Cesc / Thiago debate.

At the moment, the cerebral creator is Xavi , who said last night: “ Cesc and Thiago are perfectly compatible.” Xavi is far from finished yet, and has reached a peerless pinnacle in his position, but the midfielder admitted he almost left the club at one stage due to the comparisons with predecessor Guardiola . Xavi will never be Pep, they said. And yet he has proven to be even better. Ditto Andres Iniesta . Guardiola had seen it, though, as he told a teenage Xavi : “You will retire me, but he [ Iniesta ] will retire us both.” Long live the evolution. After Iniesta comes Cesc , and following Fabregas , there’s Thiago .

CESC & THIAGO | Their numbers from last season



GAMES GOALS ASSISTS FABREGAS

35

9

17

THIAGO

17

3

3



Cesc still seems likely to arrive, but Thiago’s talent has put a spanner in the works. Barca only field three midfielders in any case and those, currently, are Xavi , Iniesta and the more defensive-minded Sergio Busquets . Javier Mascherano is a useful understudy to the latter, while the Catalan club can count on Seydou Keita as a reserve for Iniesta . And if Thiago can step up, as he has shown signs of doing, perhaps Barcelona and the drama of Cesc and the city will drag on for one more season.

In fact, it probably should. After all, Barcelona president Sandro Rosell admitted at the start of the summer that the club had barely €45 million to spend in the current window, before later clarifying that the Catalans may dip into next year’s budget. It is worth remembering that just last summer, the club had to rush through the sale of defender Dmytro Chygrynskiy in order to pay players and that a €150m bank loan was taken out to balance books, albeit artificially.

“ Thiago

has a great personality and nothing fazes him - he is a great talent for the future. He

is extraordinary and we are very fortunate to have him.

”



- Pep Guardiola

With that in mind, Thiago’s fantastic form actually represents more of a sound solution than a difficult dilemma. And a compromise with Cesc could suit all concerned. If a deal is agreed in principle for next summer, Arsenal will be less angered by Barca's aggressive attempts to sign the midfielder. The Gunners are aware that Fabregas craves Catalunya and are conscious they cannot hold onto the player for much longer, so an alternative agreement could therefore suit all, and may even bring the price down. Barca could save money (which would be better used to bring in a central defender as cover for Carles Puyol and a reserve left-back), Thiago would receive more first-team opportunities and Cesc a more dignified exit, with the promise of realising his dream in 12 months.

In practice, it sounds reasonable, but can Cesc hang around for another year in London after recently admitting his frustration at his current club’s inability to compete for the major trophies – something he would be guaranteed at Barca ? Fabregas has been identified by some as the 'Mister X' monitored by Milan and if he were to be left high and dry by the club he loves, the midfielder may opt for an interim move. And then there’s Barca , as well. Should Cesc stay at Arsenal, another player could make the No. 4 shirt his own and deem Fabregas’ arrival unnecessary in a year’s time. Guardiola may also decide to depart for pastures new, in search of fresh challenges. So it may even be now or never for Fabregas , because in football, much can happen in a short space of time. Just ask Thiago .

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By Ben Hayward, the midfielder has responded with flying colours. Pep is looking – and he is liking. “He is extraordinary and we are very fortunate to have him,” was his assessment on Wednesday night.