Cesc Fabregas
Going….going…gone……
So it finally happened….after nearly three years of one of the most protracted and drawn out transfer stories, Cesc Fabregas, the heartbeat of the Arsenal team for so long, has left to rejoin his childhood team, Barcelona.
After years of counter stories, negotiations and cloak and dagger business dealings, the dust has finally settled and Fabregas will rejoin his childhood friends, Messi, Pique and co and there is no doubt, he will achieve something he was barely able to do at Arsenal…..win trophies. In all his eight years at Arsenal, at a club and city he so clearly loves, there was a sense that he could lead them to the next level but this never manifested itself and as the disappointments continued so did his own disillusionment and it became a matter of not if but when he would leave.
On the positive side, his time in London allowed him to grow as both a player and a person and he has always been grateful to Arsene Wenger for giving him so many opportunities to evolve. For all the finals and close finishes in the league he achieved, the endless near misses and frustrations clearly broke his heart and the seeds of doubt rooted themselves in his mind.
In Fabregas, Arsenal had a world class player but the teams unwillingness to sign key players to build their team further and develop the foundations of another dynasty showed a lack of desire and all he could do was look at his friends at home win, win endlessly; no one would begrudge him a move back to his hometown to further his career. In the end, all the key defeats suffered, no doubt hurt him deeply but he provided some wonderful memories which will last a lifetime for so many and a new chapter in his life will see him reach even greater heights……………..
By Chris KL Lau