Fabregas: The $57 Million Man?
The nearly two year saga of “Cesc to Barca” has seemingly come to an end, as Arsenal have announced the sale of their captain, Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona for a reported $57m. Both sides have yet to come out and say it’s a done deal, but everywhere you look throughout the internet, it’s all just a formality. If we’re all to believe the rumors are true, then this ends what has been almost a two-year courtship and flirtation between the Arsenal captain and his favorite boyhood club.
I’ve always contended throughout this insufferable saga, that while Cesc has always given Arsenal his best, every now and again you’d just get the feeling that maybe his heart wasn’t in it. With one eye on the pitch and one eye towards Catalan, there were several moments that made me question Cesc’s thought process. That being said, Cesc always showed quality, but from this observer, the biggest issue I’ve had with the club is their lack of “guts” or, in layman’s terms “balls”. For me, that starts at the top with the gaffer, and goes right to the captain, and it’s a role that I feel Fabregas was never fully comfortable with.
If the move is completed, Cesc goes from being the poster-child and captain of Arsenal Football Club, to, for lack of better terms, “just another guy on an absolutely star-studded club”. Not everyone can handle being the focal point, or the leader (spare the argument about leading Spain, club and country are completely different) and it’s a role that is even more magnified in the English Premier League. So now, perhaps Cesc can settle into a role where he’s more comfortable. with team mates he’s accustomed to playing with (quite frankly, with that lineup, who COULDN’T fit in?).
So what next for Arsenal? The emergence of Jack Wilshere will no doubt help the transition phase, and the departure will certainly open up opportunities for other players (Walcott comes to mind). However, with Samir Nasri also reportedly on the way out (another story for another time) one cannot help to wonder what Arsenal’s direction truly is. By selling away two of your best players, you’re leaving holes not only in your attack, but in the very make-up of your squad. The next team captain is anyone’s guess (I said van Persie, but, what do I know?) and if they lose Nasri as well, now your missing a central attacking mid, and a forward-thinking attacker. It’s going to be imperative that role players like Theo Walcott, Gervinho, and Andrey Arshavin step up and seize the moment.
Of course, all of this could fall through at the last minute, and all of this fuss will be for naught. However, for the sake of the club, and it’s future, it hopefully comes to an end. We’ve all enjoyed the Cesc Fabregas era, but it’s time for a change. Every courtship must have an ending, whether you win the prize or not.
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