Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas is edging towards the Catalan capital, after the latest reports are suggesting that his seemingly-inevitable move to Barcelona is appearing more likely each day.
I have been told that Cesc is in a similar state to what Thierry Henry was in during his last season at the club – before he went to Barcelona in a £16m deal.
You would be a fool if you can’t accept that Cesc is seriously considering a move back to Catalonia. I have come to terms with it, and have ultimately accepted that it’s very unlikely that he will be in our side, at the start of next season.
An Cesc-less Arsenal is giving me the impression that we’ve all got a daunting road ahead.
As a player, I couldn’t imagine anything worse than having a captain who has lost his desire. Every captain needs to be a leader. If they’re not totally committed, then they should not be leading the team.
It sounds silly to say, but Cesc leaving could be a positive step for the club. Of course, we’ll be losing a truly world-class player, but if his motivation is lacking, then maybe him leaving would be the best plan of action for everyone.
As you can tell, I don’t believe it’s the end of the world.
Whether he stays or not, it’s clear to see that Cesc has lost his motivation. As club captain, that is not what a team needs. Especially a club such as Arsenal, who seem to throw away everything due to our squad lacking commanding leadership – in my opinion.
Like I’ve suggested, I have always wondered whether Fabregas is the right player to wear the armband for us. To an extent, it seems to me that he was only given the captaincy by Arsene Wenger, in a last ditch attempt to get him to stay at the club to silent the tempting offers coming in from other major European clubs – just like what happened every summer with two former Arsenal captains, Patrick Vieira and Theirry Henry.
Those moves in particular were inevitable, and eventually as we all know, they both left the club.
But to be fair, just like Cesc, both Paddy and Henry remained loyal for years, despite the ever-growing speculation linking them to big-money moves away from the club.
Admirably, they both left Arsenal in a professional manner, allowing no respect to be lost from the people, who had spent an entire decade worshipping the ground they ran on.
I believe that the same situation would arise if Cesc were to leave this summer. He’s been at Arsenal Football Club since 2003 and disappointingly, has only one club honour to his name, since leaving his boyhood club at 16-years of age.
For the fans, it’s beginning to feel like an age since Vieira scored that winning penalty against Manchester United, but I can guarantee that it feels even longer for Cesc. He’s worked so hard for years to deliver physical success to Arsenal, but has not been rightly rewarded.
For every footballer in the world (excluding Paolo Maldini), there comes a time where they must move on. I feel that time is just a few steps away for Cesc now.
I feel it’s fair to say that Cesc could have left years ago. But no, he stayed, trying to pay back the club who nurtured him after getting extremely little playing time at Barcelona (he never even featured in a first team game at the Camp Nou).
He’s been incredibly unlucky during his time at Arsenal, coming agonisingly close to winning silverware with The Gunners. But sadly, he’s had a frustrating time in North London, despite a number of tremendously unforgettable moments playing in the famous red shirt.
Of course, I would be pleased if he were to stay. But if his heart is elsewhere, then it would be perfectly understandable if he were to move back to Barcelona.
My respect for Cesc will always remain. He is a class human being. If he were to leave, there would be no bitter thoughts directed at him. Like many of you I’m sure, he has earned my eternal respect.
Francesc Fàbregas i Soler – a true legend of Arsenal Football Club.
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