A former Arsenal, FC Barcelona and Chelsea star has explained his decision to reject Spanish giants Real Madrid on several occasions during his illustrious career.
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Currently playing for Monaco in France, Cesc Fabregas is one of the most successful midfielders of the past decade. Joining the Gunners as a teenager in 2003, he became an integral part of Arsene Wenger's team early on, before returning to his boyhood club Barca in 2011.
It was not just the Catalan giants he could have represented in LaLiga, however, as he has now claimed that Los Blancos came knocking on more than one occasion.
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"They called me more than once or twice," he told AS.
"The first time I was very young. I was 18 and they offered me a big salary, but I felt like I belonged at Arsenal.
"(Arsene) Wenger had bet the farm on me. I couldn't leave. In any case, I'll always be grateful to Madrid for the way they treated me.
"When I was 23, I had a serious calf injury and they sent me a really nice message. I'm grateful for their interest in me but I always dreamed of playing for Barca."
Fabregas played 306 times for Arsenal, 151 times for the Blaugrana, and 198 times for Chelsea, whom he signed for in 2014.
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He has also represented Spain on 110 occasions, winning two UEFA European Championships and a FIFA World Cup along the way.
Do you think Fabregas made the right decision in snubbing Real? Let us know in the comments section below.
