Cesc Fabregas: How The Move Unfolded

Cesc Fabregas’ eventual return to boyhood club Barcelona this week has concluded a transfer saga which has been ongoing for around four years. Following Arsene Wenger’s decision to finally sell his prized captain to the Catalan giants, here is a recount of all the speculation over the last few years.

Arsene Wenger enticed Fabregas to Arsenal in the Summer of 2003, with the then 16 year old leaving the youth ranks at Barcelona after being overlooked for promotion to the first team squad. Fabregas quickly became Arsenal’s youngest ever goalscorer and began to firmly establish himself in midfield, becoming the club’s captain five years later in 2008, and eventually making over 300 appearances for the club.

Speculation about a move away really began in June 2007, with the team involved not being Barcelona, but rivals Real Madrid. After confirming himself that he had been in contact with the club, Fabregas turned down the offer, saying  “it was very satisfying to listen to them as Real Madrid is a great club but I have decided to stay at Arsenal. I had a long talk with Wenger.” During the same summer, however, attention turned to Barcelona. Fabregas’ agent Joseba Diaz came out and publicly claimed he would listen to any offer from Barcelona for Arsenal’s influential midfielder. However, despite alleged interested from the Spanish club, no reports of a bid were made.

After an impressive 07/08 season (being named PFA young player of the year and providing the most assists in the Premier League), and being part of Spain’s Euro 2008 winning team, there was more speculation about a potential exit. Marca, the Spanish newspaper, reported that Fabregas would reconsider his rejection of Real Madrid if Arsenal failed to win a trophy the following season. Further speculation built when in December Fabregas gave a radio interview in which he said “everybody knows that one day I will return to Spanish football. It’s an experience I want to live. I want to play in Spain as a professional.” However he did also state that he would see out his six year contract he had signed in 2006 before any move materialized.

After another trophyless season for Arsenal, the following summer of 2009 was when the saga surrounding Barcelona really began to take shape. During another interview with the Spanish media, Fabregas admitted he was a little envious of the way Barcelona played and insisted that anyone would want to play for the club. He was also full of praise for the work done by Pep Guardiola. It was reported that Barcelona made an enquiry with Arsenal about Fabregas’ availability, informally proposing a figure around £25m if Arsenal were willing to sell. Whilst goalkeeper Manuel Almunia said he feared Fabregas would leave, Arsenal continued to reject all claims that Fabregas was for sale, with Chairman Peter Hill-Wood defiantly declaring “there is absolutely no chance of us selling Cesc and all this talk is just fabrication.”

 Guardiola later declared that Fabregas would not be joining the club that summer. However he did point to the possible implications if Arsenal failed to reach the Champions League following the emergence of a wealthy Man City. Guardiola claimed “If that happens there is a chance that Cesc and the other big players will leave. He’s an intelligent person and at the right moment, he will make the right decision.”

Following Spain’s 2010 World Cup victory, pictures of Fabregas wearing a Barcelona shirt during celebrations were beamed around the globe, igniting yet more talk of a now seemingly inevitable move. Before the World Cup had even kicked off, Barcelona presidential candidate Marc Ingler declared during the clubs presidential elections that ”Cesc’s time at Arsenal has finished, they (Arsenal) have benefited from him and now we hope to reach an agreement.” He vowed “Cesc will be a Barcelona player, yes, yes. The money is not as important as his dream because he wants to return to Barcelona and it’s a dream for our fans.” Fabregas then spoke about his immediate future and refused to rule out leaving Arsenal.

 Following the World Cup, Arsenal confirmed Barcelona had made an official bid believed to be around £28m and that it had been rejected. Various Barcelona players including Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets then spoke about their wish for Fabregas to join the club, with David Villa also telling fans he would speak to Fabregas in person in hope of persuading him to the club and Xavi claimed the move was just ‘inevitable.’  Somehow the transfer window managed to slam shut without a deal, with Arsene Wenger calling on his captain to now focus on his current team.

One season later, and following a summer with the two clubs locked in negotiations about a possible transfer fee, a sum potentially rising to £35m has been agreed within the last few days, with the player due to return to his childhood team in the next 48 hours. Fabregas has certainly left his mark on the Premier League, one he now hopes to now make in La Liga.