Cesc Fabregas has signed a five-year contract with Barcelona to complete his return to Camp Nou after eight years with Arsenal.
Midfielder signs five-year contract to end Arsenal career
Cesc Fabregas has signed a five-year contract with Barcelona to complete his return to Camp Nou after eight years with Arsenal.
The Spain international midfielder has looked destined to head back to the Catalan club who he left as a raw teenager to join the Gunners in July 2003.
An agreement, understood to be worth £35million, was finally reached between Barca and the Premier League outfit following another summer of very public advances from the Spanish side.
Arsene Wenger was always loath to lose the services of his creative fulcrum but was unable to persuade the 24-year-old to remain at Emirates Stadium.
Fabregas underwent a two-stage medical with his new employers on Monday morning before Barcelona confirmed the signing on their official
Twitter page.
Astonishing
The talented midfielder, who has had an astonishing €200million (over £175million) buy-out clause inserted in his contract, will be officially presented to the Barca fans on Monday afternoon before then speaking to the media.
Barcelona announced: "Cesc has signed his contract which ties him to Barcelona until 2016. The buy-out clause is 200million euros."
According to the club's
official website, Fabregas' medicals have proven him to be in perfect condition.
Barcelona's first-team doctor Ricard Pruna said: "All the tests taken have been satisfactory."
Pruna added that Fabregas "can be integrated into training without any problem."
Saga
Barca's next match sees them take on Real Madrid in the second leg of the Spanish Supercopa at Camp Nou on Wednesday night. Barca drew 2-2 in the first leg at the Bernabeu last night.
The announcement brings to an end the long-running transfer saga and sees Fabregas return to his local club Barca, who he left for Arsenal as a 16-year-old.
While the Gunners were always determined to keep Fabregas, it became clear this summer that the Spaniard - who made more than 300 appearances for the London club, scoring 57 goals - was no longer committed to their cause.
Barcelona saw a £27million offer rebuffed earlier in the summer, as Arsenal remained steadfast in their demands over a £40million fee.
However, with Barcelona not willing to significantly increase their cash bid, and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitting the player was unsettled, the English club reluctantly have allowed a deal to go through.
