Arsenal have had some of the best players in the world play for them over the years.
Icons like Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Vieira and Sol Campbell won a lot, but even those who played in an era when the Gunners didn’t have much success were truly magnificent.
However, just as the great Arsene Wenger developed these players into world-beaters, Arsenal were forced to sell them because of their financial commitments.
One such player was Cesc Fabregas.
How do you feel about Cesc Fabregas? Is he an Arsenal legend?
Tom Cairney says Cesc Fabregas would’ve become better than Steven Gerrard if he stayed at Arsenal
Steven Gerrard is the best midfielder the Premier League has ever seen in many people’s eyes.
The Liverpool legend did it all in midfield for club and country over the years, and he will forever be someone young players will look up to.
Fabregas, who Wenger hailed as ‘exceptional‘, wasn’t as complete a midfielder as Gerrard, but he was magnificent during his time at Arsenal.
In 303 games as a Gunner, the Spaniard scored 57 goals and provided 95 assists. He was entering the prime years of his career in 2011, and instead of trying to take the club to the next level, he chose to join Barcelona.
Fulham captain Tom Cairney was asked to name the best midfielder in Premier League history recently. He made an interesting comment about Fabregas.
He said on Premier League Productions’ Team Talks: “It might be Stevie G, you know. Stevie could grab a game by the scruff of the neck in a bad team. Playing against him in his prime must have been horrible.
“Shout out to Fabregas as well. I loved Fabregas.
“Maybe if he never left the Premier League, he could have been number one. He was incredible.”
Who are you choosing: Prime Cesc Fabregas vs current Declan Rice? 🤔
Cesc Fabregas should’ve never left Arsenal and he admitted it himself
Fabregas was up there with the best midfielders in the world at Arsenal.
The Spain international was the captain of the club and consistently produced magnificent performances in the famous red and white.
However, in 2011, Fabregas had his head turned by Barcelona, and he forced a move to the Camp Nou despite the Gunners’ best efforts to keep him.
Years later, Fabregas admitted that he should never have left Arsenal.
“No, I wouldn’t have left for anyone else,” Fabregas said in 2024. “I even had doubts, and maybe now, thinking back, I think I should have waited a little bit longer.
“It was maybe not the right time, Xavi was still going strong, I thought in that moment that I was seen as the replacement for Xavi, and it was not that time yet.
“I just have the feeling that if I had waited a little bit longer, I would have been a regular.”
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