"He was a little bit hurt" - Cesc Fabregas explains why Arsene Wenger didn't want to re-sign him for Arsenal before Chelsea transfer
Former Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas recently opened up on why Arsene Wenger passed on the chance to re-sign him for the Gunners prior to his move to Chelsea back in 2014.
The Spaniard explained that the legendary French tactician was hurt by his decision to quit the Emirates Stadium in 2011, leading to his reluctance.
Cesc Fabregas was indeed a huge asset to Wenger during their time together at Arsenal. The star midfielder ran riot with his eye-catching performances in the center of the pitch and got the Premier League on its feet.
Thank you @arsenal for giving me the best opportunity of my life.
However, after spending eight years at the Emirates Stadium, Fabregas decided to part ways with the Gunners before joining Barcelona. He returned to the Catalan giants in the summer of 2011 after both teams reached an agreement over a deal worth €30 million.
Unfortunately, his time at Camp Nou didn't go too well as he couldn't displace Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta from the center. He eventually made the decision to quit the Blaugrana and return to the Premier League after three years.
According to his contract with the Liga giants, Arsenal had the first option to re-sign him but Arsene Wenger refused to take it. The midfielder ended up joining Chelsea in the summer of 2014 in a deal worth €30 million.
Speaking on Kammy and Ben's Proper Football Podcast, Cesc Fabregas opened up on what happened at the time.
"I really wanted to go back to the Premier League," the 35-year-old said. "In the contract when I signed for Barcelona we said that, after I leave, Arsenal will have the first option."
"They had a week to respond," he added. "So obviously we approached Arsenal, we said, "listen, I'm leaving Barcelona and by law, you have a week to decide if you want to take me back or not.
"For a week I couldn't talk to anyone (else). We noticed (sic) Arsenal, Arsene, everyone, so after a week we called Arsene and he said he'd thought about it and he said they already had a lot of players in my position like Mesut Ozil... Cazorla, Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey and he said to fit me in he would have to play someone out and this could create, you know."
Fabregas also explained Arsene Wenger's decision to turn down the chance to take him back to the Emirates Stadium, saying:
"I think also he was a little bit hurt... by how I left and everything."
#AFC"You were my mentor, you meant everything for me."
Cesc Fabregas had a message from the heart for Arsene Wenger. We're not crying 😢 #AFC https://t.co/fbDWNP7bFQ
"I don't hold anything bad because it's their right, their decision and they could do what they wanted," he added. "I had a few options and one of them was Chelsea. I spoke to Mourinho, I met him. He told me things that were very nice to hear. He wanted me to be the leader of that team. It just felt right."
What did Cesc Fabregas achieve under Arsene Wenger at Arsenal?
During his time at the Emirates Stadium, Cesc Fabregas made a whopping 303 appearances for the Gunners across all competitions, recording 57 goals and 95 assists to his name.
Speaking of honors, the Spanish international claimed one FA Cup and two Community Shields during his time at the Emirates Stadium. Unfortunately, he couldn't win the Premier League title with the Gunners despite spending eight years with them and that contributed to his decision to quit the club.
He, however, eventually managed to get his hands on the English crown later with Chelsea, winning it in both 2015 and 2017 as well as other trophies and honors.