Fabregas: I owe it all to Wenger
Published 15:58 15/08/11 By MirrorFootball
After completing his transfer to Barcelona from Arsenal today, Cesc Fabregas insisted he parted with manager Arsene Wenger on good terms.
"The relationship is fantastic," he said. "On Friday I said goodbye to him and I got very emotional because he's like a father figure to me.
"I couldn't even talk at one stage, when I wanted to say how grateful I was. I got a bit emotional and couldn't talk much.
"I had to send him a message afterwards, saying 'I'll never forget what you've done for me'. If it hadn't been for him I wouldn't be here today, living my dream.
"I think if Arsenal want to keep being the club they are then they have to always be under his control, because he's the best, everyone respects him, and for me, he will always be the best person that I've met in football."
Asked about his protracted exit, Fabregas admitted it had been difficult to leave the Gunners and lamented the fact he had been unable to explain himself to the club's fans.
"I have time to talk about it and I'm sure I'll do an interview especially for them," he said.
"I'm sorry I couldn't say anything in the last two and a half months, Arsenal wouldn't allow me to talk to anyone, even if I wanted to I couldn't.
"I'm disappointed and upset about it because I have had a great relationship with the fans over the years. It took time to build this and I'm disappointed I could lose some of them.
"All I have are words of gratitude. I'll never forget what they have done for me, I gave absolutely everything to the club and I think they know that but it was the right time to come back here.
"I'm sorry I didn't say anything to them in the last few months but I couldn't. I was very, very sad to leave, I spent one third of my life there, eight years, so I'm very sad but life goes on."
