Chelsea have today announced the signing of Spain international Cesc Fabregas on a five-year contract, announcing he will wear the no.4 shirt.
Fabregas joins after leaving boyhood club Barcelona for the second time and has plenty of Premier League experience, having played for London rivals Arsenal for eight years. He is also classed as a home grown player as a result of moving to Arsenal at such an early age.
Very proud to have signed for Chelsea https://t.co/OIA6xqyA8J
— Cesc Fà bregas Soler (@cesc4official) June 12, 2014
During his time in Spain, Fabregas won La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the Supercopa de Espana, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.
However, he has endured a disappointing year at the Camp Nou in a season that promised much for the Catalan giants. They were in the semi finals of the Champions League and finished runners up in La Liga, on both occasions losing out to Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid.
“Firstly I would like to thank everyone at FC Barcelona where I enjoyed three wonderful years. It was my childhood club and I will always be proud and honoured that I had a chance to play for such a great team.”
“I do feel that I have unfinished business in the Premier League and now is the right time to return. I considered all the other offers very carefully and I firmly believe that Chelsea is the best choice.”
“They match my footballing ambitions with their hunger and desire to win trophies. They have an amazing squad and an incredible manager. I am fully committed to this team and I can’t wait to start playing.”
The signing of Fabregas will strengthen a Chelsea midfield that will for the first time in many a year be without fan favourite Frank Lampard. However, the Spaniard isnt a like-for-like replacement for the England midfielder.
Fabregas record of 35 goals in 212 Arsenal appearances prove that he won’t necessarily provide the 15-20 goals a season from midfield that Lampard regularly provided, however with the imminent arrival of Diego Costa from Atletico, as well as the likes of established players Hazard and Oscar, the signing of Fabregas could prove to be another shrewd Mourinho move.
Given Mourinho’s rumoured pursuit of Atletico Madrid’s Koke and Tottenham’s Paulinho it is clear that Fabregas may not have been the Portuguese’s first choice, but given his availability and the apparent lack of interest from former club Arsenal, it seems that it was an opportunity that was too good for the Special One to pass up.
It a good for cesc nd for chelsea family