Barcelona confirm Fabregas move
Barcelona's 27-year-old Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas will join English Premier League side Chelsea next season.
Spanish La Liga team Barcelona announced Thursday that they have agreed the terms with English club Chelsea on Cesc Fabregas's move to the London club.
Catalan club "Barca" confirmed on their official website that midfielder Fabregas will be playing for "The Blues" next season. Chelsea have also confirmed the transfer.
Barcelona thanked the player for his “professionalism and dedication” during his years at the club, “which will always be his home.”
Fabregas has written a farewell letter to Barcelona, also published on the website.
"Firstly I would like to thank everyone at FC Barcelona where I enjoyed 3 wonderful years. It was my childhood club and I will always be proud and honored that I had a chance to play for such a great team," he said.
Fabregas added: "I do feel that I have unfinished business in the Premier League and now is the right time for my return. Yes, everyone knows that Arsenal had the first option to sign me. They decided not to take this option and therefore it wasn't meant to be. I wish them well in the future.”
He said he considered all the other offers very carefully and believes that “Chelsea is the best choice.”
"They match my footballing ambitions with their hunger and desire to win trophies. They have an amazing squad of players and an incredible manager. I am fully committed to this team and I can't wait to start playing," Fabregas said.
The 27-year-old Spanish international said it was “extremely important” for him to conclude the transfer before the World Cup so that he could focus better on the tournament.
Having been transferred from English Premier League's Arsenal in August of 2011 for a 34-million-euro transfer fee, Barcelona's regular Cesc Fabregas scored 42 goals and made 57 assists in 151 matches during his era in Barca, according to data on German-based football website Transfermarkt.com.
Chelsea's new signing Fabregas will play for his country Spain in 2014 FIFA World Cup, starting in a match against the Netherlands on Thursday.
