After swirling speculation all summer that Cesc Fàbregas would leave FC Barcelona, or at least use other clubs’ interest to get a raise, he finally spoke on Thursday. Fàbregas said the rumors of his departure were “invented.”
“I’ve always been very relaxed,” he said, according to Mundo Deportivo. “I didn’t need to clear anything up because in my mind, I was only going to continue with Barça.”
Fàbregas played for Barcelona’s La Masia academy before leaving for Arsenal in 2003, where he spent eight years. He returned to Barcelona in 2011, and not even multiple bids from Manchester United could entice him to leave Camp Nou.
“I am very, very, very happy at Barcelona,” Fàbregas said. “I have not spoken with any clubs in the last two summers.”
On top of his commitment to the club, Fàbregas admitted that he hasn’t played up to his standard in the past two years and promised to improve his performance.
On Thursday, Manchester United responded through a spokesman, who said: “We appreciate Cesc is a contracted player at Barcelona and completely respect everything Cesc has said today.”
That makes a potential five bids that United have seen rejected this summer, including those for Cristiano Ronaldo, Thiago Alcantara, Kevin Strootman and Robert Lewandowski.
