7 players who left Arsenal for bigger clubs

Modified Jul 01, 2019 07:09 GMT

Thierry Henry is just one legendary player sold to a bigger club by Arsenal

#6 Cesc Fabregas

Cesc Fabregas moved back to his boyhood club Barcelona in the summer of 2011

Like Thierry Henry, Marc Overmars and Emmanuel Petit – who all starred at Arsenal before moving to Barcelona – Cesc Fabregas made a big move from the Emirates to the Nou Camp. But realistically, it was difficult for even hardcore Arsenal fans to begrudge him making the move – the Spanish midfielder had come to the Gunners in 2003 via Barca’s academy, where he’d trained as a child.

It took Fabregas some time to settle but by 2005/06 he’d fully embedded himself into Arsenal’s first team as a key player, and while he only won a solitary trophy with the Gunners – the FA Cup in 2004/05 – he was a huge hit there and had 8 seasons at the club, becoming club captain in the process.

By the summer of 2010 though, rumours were swirling surrounding his future – most notably when he pulled on a Barcelona jersey during Spain’s 2010 World Cup-winning celebrations. June 2010 saw Arsenal reject a €35m bid for the midfielder, but a year later, they couldn’t resist selling – and picked up a cool €29m for him, with a further €5m in add-ons. A season later, in 2012/13, Fabregas won his first – and only – La Liga title with his new club, finally achieving the success he’d failed to find at Arsenal.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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Edited by Arvind Sriram