Barcelona star Cesc Fabregas must be pleased that Mesut Ozil will fill the playmaker’s role at Arsenal that he once did for two reasons.

Firstly, the former Gunners skipper is happy that his old team has signed a player to boost their chances of winning a trophy at last.

And secondly, he is glad that Barca have lost a fierce competitor.

Real Madrid players like Alvaro Arbeloa, Sergio Ramos and Sami Khedira have all gone on record to say that if it had been up to them, Ozil would never have been sold.

Ozil says that he lost the trust of Madrid’s decision makers, but if his team-mates all rate him so highly, it only serves to make it apparent that the German international was sold for more than just sporting reasons.

Ozil’s influence at Madrid appears even greater when you consider that Fabregas, who has come up against in recent Clasicos, has expressed shock that Real allowed him to go.

Fabregas believes that Ozil was the second-best player at the Bernabeu, behind Cristiano Ronaldo.

"I was really surprised by Ozil's departure,” Fabregas said.

“He seemed to me the second-best player at Madrid, after Cristiano [Ronaldo].

“He'll be great for Arsenal."

Meanwhile, Fabregas has reiterated that despite Manchester United’s bids to sign him, there was no chance that he could be tempted to quit his boyhood club.

"The tougher the challenge the better I like it and Barcelona was the biggest and most difficult, and I want to finish in a happy manner and if I can retire at Barca, then so much the better. The only thing in my head is triumphing at Barcelona,” he said.

"When I arrived at Barcelona I already knew there were other places where I could earn more or where I could have more minutes, but coming to Barca was my dream. It was my dream since I was small. I wouldn't go, not even for double the money."