Most fans of European champions Barcelona believe that midfielders Cesc Fabregas and Thiago can play together, according to an online poll published on Saturday.
Barca are poised to finally sign Fabregas, 24, from Premier League giants Arsenal, after two years of on-off negotiations.
Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood and manager Arsene Wenger on Friday appeared resigned to Fabregas returning to Barcelona, the club that he left eight years ago.
The Spanish international midfielder has not taken part in Arsenal’s pre-season tours of Asia and Germany, and will not play in this weekend’s Emirates Cup.
On Saturday, Catalan papers Sport and Mundo Deportivo praised Fabregas for being prepared to take a lower salary at Barca than at Arsenal.
Some elements of the Catalan media, meanwhile, have expressed concern that the return of Fabregas to Barcelona will hamper the chances of youngster Thiago.
However, Sport on Saturday published an online poll which showed that 73 percent of readers believe that Fabregas and Thiago are compatible, in a Barca midfield that will also boast World Cup winners Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets.
Thiago, 20 — the son of Brazil’s 1994 World Cup winner Mazinho — is the latest flamboyant product of the famed Barca youth academy.
He guided Spain to triumph in the European Under-21 championship played in Denmark in June, then starred for Barca in the recent Audi Cup played in Munich.
Thiago scored two classy goals in the Audi Cup final on Wednesday, in Barca’s 2-0 defeat of hosts Bayern, earning massive praise in the Spanish and European media.
Both Spain and Brazil are keen to register Thiago for full international duty, though the youngster seems certain to choose Spain.
Barca coach Pep Guardiola has given Thiago a place in the first-team squad for next season, and seems convinced that the youngster has a bright future.
However, Guardiola is also determined to bring back Fabregas, in order to have what Mundo Deportivo described on Saturday as “possibly the most effective midfield unit in modern football history.”
Sport and Mundo Deportivo claimed on Saturday that Fabregas is the only new signing that Guardiola wants before the season begins.
So far, Barca’s only summer signings have been wingers Alexis Sanchez and Kiko Femenia, from Italian club Udinese and relegated Hercules respectively.
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