Andrei Arshavin has pleaded with Cesc Fabregas not to leave Arsenal for Barcelona at the end of the campaign, although he admits he understands the temptation.

GettyImages / MichaelReganAndrei Arshavin talked up Barcelona.

Speculation continues to persist that Fabregas is set for a return to Barca, where he spent six years as a youth-team player before joining the Gunners in 2003, but Arshavin hopes that he will stay for at least another year.

''If he goes to Barcelona, I will understand his choice. But as an Arsenal player, I really don't want this to happen,'' Arshavin told Russian newspaper Sport Express. ''I remember when there were rumours of his departure last summer, I told him half-jokingly, half seriously: 'Stay at least a year or two, I want to play with you.'

''We joke about this topic again now. But Cesc is a grown man and only he can decide.''

Arshavin also said that he feels that Arsenal's chances of lifting the Premier League trophy are still very much alive.

''Experience tells me we should not get hung up (over recent defeats),'' he said. ''We have to train, to give 100% in matches, then success is sure to follow. 'Having beaten Liverpool, we again cut the gap on the leaders, which gave us an extra reason to regret previous defeats. Had we not lost to Man United and Chelsea, we would stand now almost level with them.

''But we will fight until the very last chance. If you choose only between those two, then Chelsea will be champions.''