Gerard Pique Encourages Arsenal Star to Move to Barcelona

Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique has admitted that the club would 'love' to have Arsenal midfielder Alex Song in their ranks next season.

The Cameroon international has been heavily linked with the Spanish giants in recent weeks as Barcelona attempt to find a replacement for Seydou Keita who made the move to China earlier in the transfer window.

No official offer has made been but Pique is the second Barcelona player to speak openly about Song after Andreas Iniesta was also quick to praise the performances of the Arsenal midfielder.

"I have followed his career and he has become a very good player," Pique is quoted as saying by El Mundo Deportivo, as reported on Sky Sports. "He is physically very strong and is good with the ball at his feet."

"We are open to his arrival," he added. "If he comes, and from what I have read he could do, we would love to have him."

Barcelona already have options in midfield with Sergio Busquets and Javier Mascherano, but Song has the added ability to be able to play at centre-back if called upon - something that Mascherano was often asked to do last season.

Arsenal would certainly not want to lose a player who made double figures in terms of assists last season, despite being thought of as a holding midfielder.

It would also be a bitter blow to lose Song to Barcelona, the same club that managed to convince Cesc Fabregas to end his love affair with Arsenal.

However, Barcelona are attempting to restructure their squad under new manager Tito Vilanova who has already signed a new left-back in Spain international Jordi Alba.

Arsenal have also had a busy summer in the transfer market, completing deals for Olivier Giroud, Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla, but Arsene Wenger's focus will not be on convincing players to stay at the club.