Cesc Fabregas has moved to Monaco after playing for Arsenal and Chelsea in the Premier League. Here Press Association Sport looks at five things the Spain playmaker contributed to English football.
Academy import
Giving Ferguson a slice
The ‘Battle of the Buffet’, which followed the end of Arsenal’s 49-game unbeaten league run, attracted notoriety for a pizza slice hitting Sir Alex Ferguson in the aftermath of Manchester United’s 2-0 win at Old Trafford. It took 13 years before Fabregas, on a television game show, confirmed he was the perpetrator. Martin Keown had previously pointed the finger at his team-mate, saying: “It was a Spanish fella with great technique. Even when it came to the pizza he had great technique. He threw it like a Frisbee.”
The future is bright, the future is Fabregas
Patience in pursuit of silverware
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).