Cesc Fabregas has moved to Monaco after playing for Arsenal and Chelsea in the Premier League.
Here QED looks at three things the Spain playmaker contributed to English football.
1 – The Academy import
Fabregas was among the first non-native talents to emerge at a Premier League club as a teenager.
He swapped Barcelona’s youth system for Arsenal’s in September 2003. A month later, he became the Gunners’ youngest-ever player, aged 16 years and 177 days, and in December 2003 he became their youngest scorer.
That season the Gunners won the Premier League title, but Fabregas did not feature in the league, so did not receive a winners’ medal.
2 – Patience in pursuit of silverware
Fabregas captained Arsenal from 2008 to 2011, but with the desired trophy success absent – apart from the 2008 European Championships and 2010 World Cup with Spain – he moved back to Barcelona.
Fabregas returned to England after three seasons with Barca, but Arsene Wenger opted not to take up a reported option and Fabregas joined Chelsea.
He won the Premier League title at the first attempt, taking a winners’ medal 11 years after Arsenal’s last championship victory.
3 – A ‘magic’ hat
Fabregas’ creativity spurned a song at Chelsea: ‘Fabregas is magic, he wears a magic hat…’
Blue fans often serenaded the Spain playmaker’s genius as he picked apart defences in the 2014-15 title-winning season.
They have done so frequently since. Fabregas has 111 Premier League assists, second only to Ryan Giggs, but in little more than half the number of games (350 to 632).
