ARTICLE: Fabregas Opportunity Of A Lifetime

A VERY GOOD ARTICLE I FOUND ONLINE THAT I BELIEVE IS A VERY GOOD READ:

His home club, a team for the ages - this is the ideal moment to make move

"Confused? You shouldn't be. Cesc Fabregas may have the privilege of captaincy and demigod status at Arsenal, as well as a settled life in London and being the undisputed first, last and every name on the teamsheet, but there is no place like home.


Bear in mind that it was as early as September, at the beginning of this season, when Cesc insisted he actually felt more at home in London - and Arsenal's money-men even played somewhat fast-and-loose with the chequebook to ensure he would stay that way over last summer.


Also consider how he proved his immense motivation at and dedication to Arsenal by playing with a broken leg, against Barcelona, just to try and do right by his club in the Champions League quarter-final. He could have ruined his 2010 World Cup chances over those 90 minutes, but played until the very end, scoring a late penalty which gave the Gunners at least some hope before the consequent Camp Nou demolition job at the hands of Lionel Messi.


And yet when at home last week - his first home - he said to the press, in his native tongue and on camera, the words "I think I would like to go to Barcelona" - a statement which was qualified by, "Whether they would want me, who knows? This is just what I would like to happen."


There is now that ominous, sickening feeling permeating around north London, even though Arsenal fans and officials have always accepted that Fabregas would return home 'some day', just as Manchester United acknowledged Cristiano Ronaldo would find his way to Real Madrid eventually. The £80 million man left earlier than was desired by his club and was widely criticised for cheating the fans by saying all through the season that he would stay.


Cesc will almost certainly follow in Cristiano's footsteps. The midfielder has today flown into London as he continues recovering from his broken leg. While Barcelona look intent on bulldozing their way to an agreement with Arsenal this week, Cesc has made it clear he would like his future resolved before the World Cup.


The only man with the power to stop this now is Arsene Wenger, if he were to use his influence over Fabregas to stall and thus kill the deal for the time being. But Wenger has never adopted such an underhand style and has always advocated the freedom of his players.


And rightly so, as this should not be looked upon as an act of betrayal from Cesc, nor even so much as a campaign from Barcelona or the Catalan media (although it has been and continues to be). It is, in the simplest of terms, a player being offered the opportunity of a lifetime.


It is not so much that the 23-year-old doesn't believe in mentor and father-figure Arsene Wenger, nor necessarily that he has lost faith in the Arsenal way, but simply that he believes more in Pep Guardiola and Barcelona's. And who wouldn't?


For Cesc, this isn't just the best team of its time, but this is also his hometown club. Knowing as he did that he would always go back at some point, would there ever be a better time than now?


Not even the great teams stay great for too long - especially at this level. Pep Guardiola, the mind behind Barcelona's explosive matter, has already intimated that he's not in this for the Sir Alex Ferguson-style long-haul, this current combination of players won't stay as fresh as it is now forever and not even a youth academy as good as Barcelona's will always produce a golden generation quite like this one for some while.


So while even the most optimistic of Arsenal supporters will say that Wenger's project is about to reignite into a major title-winning dynasty, Cesc's undoubted desire to play for Barcelona coupled with the club enduring its best ever moment means that even if he's not the captain and not got the freedom of the midfield every week, merely being a major player in the project is still an honour no self-respecting Cule could ever pass up.


It is no longer about the needs of Arsenal, nor even the wants of Barcelona - the needs and wants of Cesc Fabregas come first and both are pulling stronger than ever in the direction of Camp Nou. All Arsene Wenger has to do now is let go."