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Wenger: Fabregas Arsenal return could happen

Cesc Fabregas and Arsene Wenger maintain a strong relationship despite the midfielder's departure from Arsenal © PA Photos

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has not ruled out the possibility of Cesc Fabregas making a return to Emirates Stadium.

Fabregas, 25, spent eight years at Arsenal before returning to his boyhood club Barcelona for around £30 million in 2011.

Wenger believes the Spain international is settled at the Camp Nou, with the side currently top of the Liga table, but he believes he could one day re-sign the midfielder.

"I'm not convinced that he won't come back here one day," Wenger is quoted as saying in the Guardian.

"He is really an Arsenal man. He loves Arsenal and watches every game of Arsenal. But of course Barcelona was his home town where he grew up and you have to accept that will come into it, especially with them having the best team in the world.

"[Fabregas would not come back] in the next two, three years, certainly not, because he is linked with Barcelona. But maybe later."

Wenger has recently been boosted by five of his British youngsters - Kieran Gibbs, Carl Jenkinson, Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - signing new contracts with the club.

If recent reports are to be believed then Theo Walcott could be the next to ink a new deal in North London, and Wenger believes it is "a bit easier" to retain the services of British players, having seen the likes of Fabregas seek pastures new.

"At least it would give a positive message out that the way is not necessarily 'Exit'," Wenger said. "We are not yet there, I hope we will get there. What you want is the players to grow up together and say, 'We will be successful together.' We had that before.

"We had the period where we kept our players together for eight, nine years, with [Thierry] Henry, [Patrick] Vieira. Now it is a bit easier to keep them if they are British."

Reflecting on whether he would make a concerted effort to buy British in the future, Wenger indicated nationality would not play a part if he were to identify a youngster of the calibre of Fabregas.

He added: "Fabregas is an exception that I would try again, a world-class player you don't easily find."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.