Cesc Fàbregas

[xPetrCechx 13,563]

Still hoping we don't sign him. I would take Vidal, Pogba, Kroos, Koke over him.

but if not them...

cesc is a decent signing.

[cadenza666 221]

C'mon, Chelsea....while we're there doing Costa's medical we may as well do Fabregas's too.

have we submitted a bid yet mate? seems we have agreed personal terms.

[stroey 2,525]

but if not them...

cesc is a decent signing.

Yeah, his time at Arsenal was fantastic.

But I don't like him like I didn't like Benitez.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

That is so obviously BS.

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

Still hoping we don't sign him. I would take Vidal, Pogba, Kroos, Koke over him.

Yes and I would take Messi/Ronaldo/Cavani/Suarez/Aguero/Rooney over Costa as well. Doesn't work like that doesn't it?

[Pizy 18,368]

I'd certainly have Pogba or Vidal over Cesc but I'd have Fabregas over Kroos and it's a toss up in my eyes between him and Koke.

I'd be delighted with any of them to be fair. Fabregas just seems like the smartest business out of all of them bar Kroos. Not often a world class player comes on to the market at £30m. Pogba, Vidal, and Koke would cost nearly double that in all likelihood.

Imagine getting two world class players in Costa and Fabregas for a combined ~60m after selling Luiz for 50m. Terrific business. Then get Luis for 18m and we have the best XI in the country and top 3 in the world.

[ChelseaFanUK 1,014]

Only thing I can deduct from the press reports is we may have indeed spoken to Darren Dein, Fabregas' agent, and agreed some sort of package. Agreeing the fee with Barca, if we do at all, will more than likely happen after Costa is official or Luis

[ChelseaFanUK 1,014]

Yep..sounds like a right twat.

Yeh and Rob Beasley actually said a good while ago he has agreed everything for £32m. That Gaz was just coming across as more opinion based tweets than fact. Beasley reported Ashley Cole leaving, before Cole himself tweeted it. He gets a bit of a hard time, but IMO Beasley is pretty good with CFC news

[The only place to be 11,313]

Not often a world class player comes on to the market at £30m.

Wasn't the rationale United fans used for signing Mata? In fact wasn't his lack of physicality and defensive workrate the reason we sold him? I know it's probably a different situation because those types of things must not be as important in the pivot as they are at number 10.

If we must sign a former Arsenal midfielder from Barcelona, wouldn't Alex Song be cheaper, homegrown and probably a better fit for our midfield? 11 assists in 2011-2012 too.

[nadavTKL 1,787]

I think Pogba is slightly overrated around here. He's yet to prove himself as a leader in midfield, he plays with Vidal and Pirlo and needs to do much less than we'll need him, i just think people want him so much because of his profile (a tall technical CM, like Yaya Toure), kind a similar to the love for Axel Witsel in this forum.

If we cant get some other CMs i would like Pogba, but i cant see why he's topping everyone's wishlist.

About Vidal, he would fit really good next to Matic, but Cesc has qualities he doesnt. Vidal isnt a playmaker, he's technical but he isnt a passer. He wouldnt sit back and find the right passes like Cesc. He will make late runs into the box and score goals, he'll make runs with the ball from midfield, but so does Cesc. I feel Cesc can contribute more than him in attack while he'll contirbute more in defense.

Believe Alex Song would be better for us than Cesc is absolutely unbelievable. "11 assists in 2011-2012", wow! Arsenal fans thought he was awful even in that season. And he looks so limited in Barcelona, almost like he never played football.

[FabHazard 655]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvOW9Pck5ME

[Pizy 18,368]

Wasn't the rationale United fans used for signing Mata? In fact wasn't his lack of physicality and defensive workrate the reason we sold him? I know it's probably a different situation because those types of things must not be as important in the pivot as they are at number 10.

If we must sign a former Arsenal midfielder from Barcelona, wouldn't Alex Song be cheaper, homegrown and probably a better fit for our midfield? 11 assists in 2011-2012 too.

Song isn't in Fabregas's class. I think he'll have much more space than people think he will and will be able to pull the strings just like we'd need him to. He'll have other players around him to pick up some of the slack, but I think he'd be able to adapt well to Jose's system.

We saw in games where Oscar dropped deeper that he had forever to dribble with the ball and stroke it around. Having a more accomplished passer in there will help loads.

[The Skipper 20,593]

One thing Fabregas would give Mourinho is options. We don't have a player like him in midfield, so this signing would make us a lot more versatile and unpredictable, and will give Jose even more ammunition and tactical flexibility to change things up.

[Jype 6,398]

If we must sign a former Arsenal midfielder from Barcelona, wouldn't Alex Song be cheaper, homegrown and probably a better fit for our midfield? 11 assists in 2011-2012 too.

Fabregas is also HG.

As you may know, I also rate Song quite highly and wouldn't mind having him but clearly Fabregas is the better player of the two. Can't really say much on who'd be the better fit because we don't know exactly how Mourinho is planning on using Fabregas if he gets him but I think both of them could do a job for us. If / when we're only getting one I'd prefer Cesc but Alex Song is not at all a bad shout either.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

On paper looks great with Cesc-Matic-Oscar but that trio lacks speed and power big time...

Cesc is not as fast and mobile he was 3 years ago in arsenal, while Oscar was never man who could run up and down for 90mins without geting exhausted after few games...

I believe Vidal would be best fit atm, Pogba is young and expensive, Modric is not available and Kroos/Koke are very similar to Cesc (some small advantages and disadvantages in comparison)

Wouldnt hate Cesc here, its big name and world class CM but he isnt realy Mou type when comes to stay back and defend and run etc..

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

On paper looks great with Cesc-Matic-Oscar but that trio lacks speed and power big time...

Cesc is not as fast and mobile he was 3 years ago in arsenal, while Oscar was never man who could run up and down for 90mins without geting exhausted after few games...

I believe Vidal would be best fit atm, Pogba is young and expensive, Modric is not available and Kroos/Koke are very similar to Cesc (some small advantages and disadvantages in comparison)

Wouldnt hate Cesc here, its big name and world class CM but he isnt realy Mou type when comes to stay back and defend and run etc..

Well Iniesta/Xavi/Busquest isn't exactly the fastest around, neither is Bastian/Thiago/Gotze or Modric/Alonso/Khedira. They still thrive, just because we don't have a Yaya or Fernandinho who can runs 30 yards in 1 go doesn't mean our mid are slow. We already got enough pace with Hazard, Costa and Wilian. Also Ramires and Schurrle too whenever needed, you are saying as if we need to play like against City earlier this season every week. That is the sort of match where you need pace as much as possible, not against the likes of Sunderland, Palace...etc

[lucio 5,418]

On paper looks great with Cesc-Matic-Oscar but that trio lacks speed and power big time...

Cesc is not as fast and mobile he was 3 years ago in arsenal, while Oscar was never man who could run up and down for 90mins without geting exhausted after few games...

I believe Vidal would be best fit atm, Pogba is young and expensive, Modric is not available and Kroos/Koke are very similar to Cesc (some small advantages and disadvantages in comparison)

Wouldnt hate Cesc here, its big name and world class CM but he isnt realy Mou type when comes to stay back and defend and run etc..

maybe van ginkel could add running powerr

[The only place to be 11,313]

Song isn't in Fabregas's class. I think he'll have much more space than people think he will and will be able to pull the strings just like we'd need him to. He'll have other players around him to pick up some of the slack, but I think he'd be able to adapt well to Jose's system.

We saw in games where Oscar dropped deeper that he had forever to dribble with the ball and stroke it around. Having a more accomplished passer in there will help loads.

I think a lot of work would be needed between Oscar and Fabregas in terms of pressing the ball and helping out Matic. Have them alternate when we lose the ball but use them both when in possession.

I just think there's a vulnerability with him. I hope it works if we get him and maybe Jose sees this as an unexpected challenge/opportunity. I trust him.