Top 10 Barcelona signings of the decade (2010-2019)

#7 Cesc Fabregas

FC Barcelona v AC Milan - UEFA Champions League Quarter Final

An integral part of La Masia's most talented batch of players in living memory, Cesc Fabregas was always destined to wear the Blaugrana's colors at some point in his career.

Most players who emerge from Barcelona's youth academy find it incredibly difficult to secure a spot in the first team. One either needs to be a generational talent à la Lionel Messi or needs to have luck on one's side to play for the team on a regular basis. Cesc Fabregas, like his teammate and friend Gerard Pique, found opportunities hard to come by and left for England in search of more playing time.

While Pique returned to his boyhood club in 2008, Fabregas spent a few more years in England sharpening his unique skill set as well as his leadership skills. He was appointed Arsenal's captain at only 21 years of age and was widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.

The Spaniard's return to Barcelona was only a matter of time, however. Cesc Fabregas was the perfect fit for Barcelona's midfield and was widely considered the heir to Xavi and Andres Iniesta. After a considerably lengthy transfer saga, Fabregas finally made the switch to his boyhood club in 2011 for a fee of €34 million, with the player agreeing to pay Arsenal an additional €1 million from his own wages.

Fabregas took to the team like a fish to water, establishing telepathic relationships with Andres Iniesta and childhood friend Lionel Messi. In a very interesting period for Barcelona from a tactical point of view, Fabregas and Messi shared the responsibilities of the 'false nine', with the former racking up assists and the latter plundering goals at will.

It is no coincidence that Messi's record tally of 91 goals in 2012 overlapped with the former Arsenal captain's time at the club. Cesc Fabregas had an incredible first season at the club, with 15 goals and 20 assists in 48 appearances.

With the departure of Pep Guardiola, however, Fabregas found it difficult to cement a place in Barcelona's midfield and departed to Chelsea in 2014. Barcelona's boy wonder may not have become all that he was supposed to be, but his statistics and performances speak for themselves: Cesc Fabregas was definitely one of Barcelona's better transfer choices in the recent past.