Pique, Barca set for showdown talks

Cape Town - Several top English Premiership are closely watching the situation at Barcelona amid reports that the club and star defender Gerard Pique are set for showdown talks.

The Mirror report that the club are desperate to keep hold of the Spanish defender regardless of the troubled relationship between him and coach, Luis Enrique.

Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United are all on alert as the relationship between manager and player has soured in the past month.

Pique has a contract until 2019 with the club but Enrique is reportedly willing to sell the Spanish international.

The club want to hold talks with Pique in order to avoid the player leaving the club as early as January.

During the side's La Liga fixture against Almeria, Pique suffered the embarrassment of being sent to warm up despite all three substitutions having already being made. This is the latest in a string of incidents which has caused a lot of tension between player and coach and a major headache for senior figures at the club.

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