Cesc Fabregas has said goodbye to English football and bonjour to French football after completing a move to Monaco, a move that therefore reunites the midfielder with former teammate Thierry Henry. The Spain international has agreed a three-and-a-half-year deal, announced officially on asmonaco.com to ply his trade in the French principality.
Adios Cesc Fabregas
The Spaniard bode an emotional farewell at Stamford Bridge last Saturday, captaining Chelsea to a 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup. The former Barcelona man wiped away the tears and embraced Blues players as well as Maurizio Sarri as he made his way to the touchline.
Where it All Began
Having come through the ranks at Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, Fabregas moved to Arsenal as a youngster. The 31-year-old made his debut against Rotherham United in a league cup tie in September 2003, making him the youngest ever player in Arsenal’s history. During his time for The Gunners, Fabregas won the FA Cup, the Community Shield, and was also part of the team that finished as Champions League runners-up in 2006.
Overall Fabregas made 303 appearances, scoring 57 goals in north London.
A favourite for The Gunners, it was the lure of returning to Spain to represent his first love that saw him leave The Emirates.
Barcelona
Being part of an impressive, dominant Barcelona team saw Fabregas clinch major honours: a La Liga title, Copa del Rey, UEFA Super Cup, World Club Cup and two Spanish Super Cups.
Fabregas played 151 times for the Catalan giants, finding the net on 42 occasions.
Chelsea
With a heavy heart, the Spanish international returned to the Premier League in 2014. The move was because he had become more of a squad player at Barca, wanting more first-team action. A £30 million move to Chelsea to play under the management of Jose Mourinho was too good an opportunity. Arsenal had looked favourites to see the prodigal son return, but contrasting reports suggested Arsene Wenger was happy enough not to bring Fabregas back, continuing to rebuild his squad with Mesut Ozil as the main man in midfield.
Fabregas showed Blues fans exactly what he had to offer, linking up superbly with fellow Spaniard Diego Costa as Chelsea clinched the Premier League title. It was Fabregas’ first title, and his 19-assists made a massive contribution towards the victorious season. During his four-and-a-half years at Stamford Bridge, Fabregas won four trophies – two Premier League titles, a League Cup, and an FA Cup. He made an impressive 198 appearances for the West London club, scoring 22 goals.
Spain
At international level, Fabregas played a huge part in Spain’s golden era – winning the World Cup in 2010, and back to back European Championships in 2008 and 2012. Overall, Fabregas has been capped 110 times, scoring 15 goals on international duty.
As a player, Fabregas’ ability will be sadly missed in the Premier League. As a midfield-engine, he has entertained crowds with an unrivalled ability to pick out a player with a sublime range of passing. He also has an eye for goal, contributing with some excellent long-range strikes. Above all, his leadership and personality have shone through with an experienced head over the past couple of years.
Now it’s off to Ligue 1 in France for the midfield great. His Premier League days are over, however, he’ll take his magic to wow crowds for a good few years yet.
Adios Cesc Fabregas.
Main Photo
