Okay so it might be overstating the situation to say that Fàbregas regretted leaving Arsenal. However, there can be no denying that the great Spanish playmaker was more highly valued by the Gunners than his Spanish suitors before a 2014 move to Chelsea took greater advantage of his talent. Whilst his folllow-on club Barcelona had a long list of exceptional playmakers like Iniesta, Xavi, Sergio Busquets and even Lionel Messi, Cesc was considered far more of a rarity at Arsenal. Such was his desire to play at the Camp Nou that Fàbregas even took a pay cut from £4 million to £3 million to facilitate the move. Despite this admirable show of love for the club where he had spent his youth career, Fàbregasalways seemed like a utility player at Barça, forever filling in the position required of him. Though he has experienced his fair share of success during his three seasons with Barcelona and had plenty of games, Fàbregas was often played outside of his preferred central midfield role owing to the already crowded midfield. He was fielded as both a winger and a forward under Pep Guardiola's management and was also been played as the false-9 in the Catalans famed 4-6 formation. The La Liga superpower's indifferent attitude to the Spaniard was typified by their willingness to sell him to Stamford Bridge, where he recovered some of the form he'd lost.
Hailing from South East London, Sam Heard is an aspiring writer and recent graduate from the University of Warwick. Sam's favourite things include energy drinks, late nights spent watching the UFC with his girlfriend and annihilating his friends at FIFA.
