Cesc Fabregas has denied reports he said he would go to Barcelona if he received a call from Pep Guardiola.

Fabregas come up through the youth ranks at Barca before moving to Arsenal as a 16-year-old in 2003, and the Spain international has been regularly quizzed about a possible return to the Nou Camp over the last few years.

Fabregas has always maintained he is happy at Arsenal, and in his latest comments about a possible switch to Barca he has repeated that same message.

However, he was also quoted as saying by Spanish newspaper Sport that if Barca boss Guardiola were to get in touch with him it "would be different".

Fabregas admits he holds Guardiola in special regard, saying in Sport: "I've always looked up to him. I've always played in his position, I've liked to wear his number four shirt...

"When I was small he was my footballing hero, the player I liked most. I've tried to imitate things that he did and as a coach he's shown again what he can do. He is a person who will always be important in my life."

He added: "It's very clear that it would be special (to receive an offer), but I'm also very clear that Arsenal have made me captain, and for that I have added responsibility, which ties me more to the club and gives me greater hopes of lifting a title as captain of the Gunners."

Fabregas, who is currently with Spain at the Confederations Cup in South Africa, said: "If you don't win titles you cannot be happy, although it's true that we didn't finish badly. It hurt us a bit to lose in the semi-finals of the Champions league and cup. We couldn't take the final step.

"We lack a little to get to finals, like Chelsea in the cup or Manchester United or Barcelona in the Champions League."

Fabregas later denied reports he said he would go to Barcelona if he received a call from Guardiola.

He told Radio Marca: "I've never said that. I would be really happy (to get a call from Guardiola) because Guardiola has been my sporting idol forever, and if he called me it would be a big thing.

"You need to be responsible not to fall into these sorts of traps."

The 22-year-old added: "My future right now is in the same place. Arsenal have already said that I'm not for sale, which fills me with pride.

"If some day I left Arsenal, it would not be to stay in England. As everybody knows I really want to play in the Spanish league. In England the top four teams are much better than the others and in Spain it is more even."