Fabregas finally signs for Barcelona

[Lazie]

By ESPNsoccernet staff

Cesc Fabregas has ended one of the longest running transfer sagas in English football by completing a move from Arsenal to Barcelona.

GettyImagesCesc Fabregas arrives at Barcelona to sign his five-year contract



• Cesc arrives for medical
• Udinese 'keeper confident for Gunners test
Fabregas has signed a five-year deal with his hometown club with his buy-out clause set at €200 million.
Fabregas has never hidden his desire to return to Barcelona - the club from which Arsenal signed him as a 16-year-old - and, after six trophyless seasons at the Emirates, made it clear that the time to move on was now.
Despite assertions throughout the summer from Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger that Fabregas would be staying in London, the Gunners have finally relented and agreed a deal that does not reach their intended £40 million. Barca president Sandro Rosell said on Sunday night that the deal would be worth a guaranteed €29 million with a further €10 million to be paid depending on clauses being met.
After the clubs confirmed an agreement was in place on Sunday, Fabregas passed his medical on Monday morning and Barcelona's first-team doctor Ricard Pruna said: "All the tests taken have been satisfactory."
"I waited many days, months and years for this moment," Fabregas told the fans. "I return home after eight years. I know I disappointed many of you when I left, but I'm back for the challenge of my life. I hope to leave good memories."

[Gamma]

good luck to him! he is a great player and will sorely be missed .... but a suh football guh!

[Dunny]

Sad to see him go, but life goes on. Arsenal fans will always hold him in high regard. Good luck Cesc!!

[Dunny]

Cesc Fábregas signs Barcelona contract to finalise Arsenal departure

• Midfielder completes transfer on five-year contract
• Barcelona say Fábregas deal worth potential £34m

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• Sid Lowe in Barcelona
• guardian.co.uk, Monday 15 August 2011 12.21 BST
• Article history

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The saga finally came to an end on Monday when Fábregas was at long last presented as a Barcelona player after a three-year pursuit. He said that he was very happy to fulfil a childhood dream but admitted that there were "mixed emotions." He admitted that the frustration of not winning anything in the last six years weighed heavily and revealed that he had been unable to articulate his gratitude during his last meeting with Wenger without crying.
"I spoke to [Wenger] on Friday to say goodbye and got very emotional because he has been like a father figure," Fábregas said. "I couldn't even talk when I wanted to say how grateful I was for what he has done to me, so I had to send a message afterwards saying thanks for everything. If it was not for him I would not be here today to live my dream. I will never have enough words to say how grateful I am. I went from being a boy to a man and they gave me absolutely everything in football. I have mixed emotions. Life goes on: Arsenal will always be there, the fans will always be there. Players come and go; the club will always be bigger than them."
"At Arsenal, there were finals and semi-finals but we always lacked that little extra push to win something. That was hard to take. It was not that we didn't win titles it was that we kept going through the same routine, the same things happening to us and us messing up. I gave everything for Arsenal but it didn't show in the [trophy] cabinet because I only won one FA Cup. That is the biggest regret I will have in my career – not to be able to lift a trophy as Arsenal captain."
Fábregas also noted his sadness at the way that he ultimately left the Emirates. "I will have time to talk about [my departure]. I am sure I will do an interview especially for them [the Arsenal fans] at some stage," he said. "I am sorry I couldn't say anything for the last two and half months, Arsenal would not allow me to talk, I was disappointed and upset about that but it had to be like that. I still have, personally, a great relationship with them and I am disappointed to have maybe lost [the affection of] some of the fans.
"I am sorry I couldn't say anything, I am sorry. I was very, very sad to be leaving. I spent a third of my life there – eight years."
Despite those frustrations, Fábregas added: "If Arsenal want to keep being the club they have been, they must always remain under his [Wenger's] control because he is the best and everyone respects him. He will always be the best person I have met in football." He also insisted that Arsenal have the squad to continue to compete.
"But I am sure that they will be a strong team again – they are one of the biggest teams in the world. They will be OK without me as they were without Vieira, without Henry, without Bergkamp," Fábregas said.
"There is not even a question [over whether or not Arsenal's midfield is in good hands]. I have seen them play for years, both Aaron and Jack. Jack will be the England captain in the next two or three years, there is no doubt. You don't have to be a magician to see that. He has the passing game and he will be an even better player in the future. There is not even a question in my mind about that. As for Aaron: his engine is unbelievable, his final ball will get better and he will be the next big star at Arsenal. They are winners and they will be amazing for the club for sure."