This summer, the club seem to have moved to a position where they recognise the inevitability of his departure and are trying to get as much from the Spanish giants for his services as possible. The latest offer was for £35 million. Should Arsenal give in now?
Well, not quite. They certainly should be getting closer to £50 million for their captain, based on the transfer fee of some contemporaries. James Milner went for £27 million last season, which would indicate that Fabregas’ value is somewhere beyond the £50 million mark. Then again, take in the ‘Manchester City’ factor and you can reduce the fee for about £10 million.
But they should sell. Fabregas has made it very clear that he wants to go, and to be fair, he has done so in the most tactful and diplomatic way possible. Potential wantaways take note of Arsenal’s Spaniard, who has managed to very openly express his desire to move back to Catalonia for over a year whilst remaining exceptionally popular with Arsenal fans. How has he done this? He has said that he loves Arsenal, but that he loves Barcelona more. Which is perfectly reasonable and understandable, and having said so honestly, Arsenal fans hold him in high esteem. It’s now time for the club to recognise the service he has given and respect his wishes, rather than forcing him to push for a move which would damage his standing in the eyes of the fans.
From a purely footballing perspective though, there are compelling reasons for him to be sold. For the price of Fabregas, Arsenal can sign Gervinho, Ricardo Alvarez and Gary Cahill, all of whom are likely to move to London later this summer.
And then there is Arsenal’s style of play. Arsenal were dominant between 2002 and 2004 when they had a team which played swift passing football. But it was also one touch football. Fabregas, whilst being the best player in the team, takes two or three touches before making a pass. It is a style which hinders Arsenal, because in the Premier League, speed of passing is essential, and the Catalan’s desire to slow the pace of the game allows opponents to get behind the ball quickly and regain defensive shape. That Arsenal have often failed to break down massed defences in recent years is no coincidence.
This isn’t to devalue Fabregas’s immense contribution; that he has been such a success in the Premier League is a testament to the success of brains over brawn. That a 5”7 midfielder can play in the centre of the park and dominate more physical opponents show that it is what you do with the ball, not without it, that counts in football and even in the Premier League. But for Arsenal, they will always play better when counter attacking at speed, with one touch passing and movement. Slowing their style will cost them; so the sale of Fabregas may be a smart move from a tactical perspective.
