Cesc Fabregas ‘Satisfied’ At Arsenal, But He’ll Still Leave This Summer

Chris Wright

14th, October 2010

10 Comments

By Chris Wright

Arsenal made it through a summer which began with near-constant rumour-mongering, soon moved onto flagrant tapping-up and then culminated in a reported £35 million from Barcelona, somehow still being able to number Cesc Fabregas as one of their own.

The Arsenal captain came closer to rejoining his boyhood club than he had ever been before, flirting with the possibility until his manager Arsene Wenger told him definitively that he wouldn’t be allowed to leave at any price – at least not at that point in time.

In an interview with Spanish radio station Cadena COPE, Fabregas has spoken of his acceptance of Wenger’s firm stance, but hinted that he may be offski if the Gunners fail to secure any silverware this season;

“I maintain that I was right, because to play for Barcelona is a dream I have had since childhood. The truth is that Wenger is like a second father to me. I told him [that I wanted to join Barca], so there were difficult moments.

In the end, when I spoke to Wenger he told me ‘no’ – he was very emphatic, but that the transfer was impossible.

I am satisfied for all parties. It wasn’t to be and that’s that, though in my head I keep thinking it could have been a good opportunity – but here [at Arsenal] I have everything.

I am still happy. I am very comfortable here, I like the club, lead the team, play football. We just need to start winning titles because we have a wealth of quality. A winning mentality is missing.”

Yikes, talk about pressure. It looks like Arsenal are going to have to win something of significance this season if they are to stand even the slimmest chance of keeping their influential skipper out of Barcelona’s grasping paws – although it seems like the Catalan hooks may be in a little too deeply to avoid the inevitable this time round.

Posted in Arsenal, Barcelona, Transfers & Rumours

Share this article: Email

10 Comments

  1. trugun says:

    The flaw in what you say is ignoring the fact that both are honourable people, the contract still has the best part of five years to run. Cesc admits that he is not unhappy, I can see Wenger staying firm on this and Cesc staying for at least another three years. Lets face it if Barcelona crash and burn this year, which is a distinct possibility, the attraction of Barca may not seem as great.

  2. mystic says:

    Last summer proved that a player can be forced to stay at a club. About time clubs started to flex their muscles, they pay the wages after a player has signed a contract.

  3. timao says:

    the only way cesc can play for the club of his choice now is to somehow run down his contract, which is highly unlikely. alternatively arsenal keep him for another 3 years or more. either way we’ll have to sell to the highest bidder, and that probably will not be barcelona.

  4. James says:

    Dream on, he’s going. Another shit season like the last one and he’ll hand in a transfer request. Why should a world class player like Fabregas have to play alongside total dross like Song, Diaby and Denilson. Without Fabregas Arsenal are useless. Their record without him playing is disastrous.

  5. GunnerFishing says:

    Also, Barca are being kept affloat by the council. The Council has no money hence Barca has no money. No deal. Pay up for Thiery first.

  6. Matt says:

    Sorry – Where in his interview did he say he was leaving in the summer?

    And I wonder which team James supports….

  7. Goonerism says:

    @mystic

    Yes your right but it is also due to the fact that he is clearly not an unreasonable person and that, as he says himself, he is happy at Arsenal. This constant story about him going or not going is very, very boring. If he goes at the end of the season then it’ll be thanks and good luck, if he doesnt then we get to see more of him

    @James Actually our record without him is not disastrous, we have players like Nasri, Rosicky and Wilshire who can fill in. More disastrous for us is when we play any of our keepers or if Vermalean is injured. Our season last was not ‘shit’ as you describe it, it was far from our best but the league table doesn’t lie and it still showed us as being in the top 3 teams in the country.

  8. swandive says:

    Im starting to get fed up with Fab anyways, if he really wants to go sit on the bench at Barcelona like he did for Spain during the world cup (it seemed like he played a total of like what 37 mins?) then go ahead and “win” silverware with Barca, or have other ppl win it for you while you warm the bench, Arsenal will survive, yeah we haven’t won anything in the last few years, maybe Fab is the problem we haven’t won, lets reinvest the money in some new defenders and a goalie, our attack can handle not having Cesc

  9. Scott says:

    I understand why he wants to play for Barca, but where does he fit in at that team? Xavi and Iniesta only start in front of him on the national side. I doubt he’ll start.

  10. Carmelo Pace malta. says:

    Idont know if its the same boring rubbish by the british press,but if hte case that fab reraly want to go next summer,let it be cesc or no cesc we will still be the team of the next generation,so cersc make up your mind,cause you are turning up THE BORE OF ARSENAL.

Leave a Reply to mystic